I believe that considerations from ALL parties, has been primarily to prevent that "potential global humanitarian disaster", rather than any direct business,.... business. Not for any altruistic motive; but because everyone knows, and fears, how food and fuel shortages impact populations everywhere, and put match to fuze everytime.....
The West/Ukraine and Russia don't seem interested in a negotiated peace that either can stomach. The longer the war goes on the worse that'll become. No good outcomes loom on the horizon. Maybe we'll hand Henry Kissinger a bottle of multi-vitamins and send him in to square things away like he did in Paris from 1968-1973.
Your two explanations here are, I think, broadly correct: it's about moderating global commodity prices. The Europeans are also broadly neutral because it is in their interest to be neutral. NATO is supposed to be a defensive alliance per the text of the treaty itself. It is not supposed to be an offensive pact that requires all parties to intervene when a third party to the treaty is attacked. But that is not what the US wants NATO to be. There's a gap between what it is, legally, and what the US wants it to be, practically, which is an extension of its own will.
This issue is similar to the issues faced by the Allies during WW2. Triangular trade with Germany thrived throughout WW2 because there were so many "gaps" with neutral countries. The kind of relatively effective blockade of WW1 was not possible because Germany had France by 1940 and much of Eastern Europe by late 1941. That type of geography issue is also a problem today like it was then. The Black Sea was (not coincidentally) a major avenue for imports destined for Germany. Ending that trade was one of the main motivations for the Italian campaign in 1943; it's why Stalin was so fervent in demanding it. The only way to stop neutral countries from trading with an enemy is to end their neutrality by attacking them. The US doesn't want to do that and can't really do that officially apart from looking the other way when mysterious frogmen blow up pipelines.
It’s odd how Airbus said they would, finally stop buying Titanium forgings from the Russian government but never issued a press release proclaiming they they have.
And was it you who wrote about Chinese drones civilian specs, parts and kits, modified to suicide military uses that China supplies in whole or in parts to Ukraine? Complaints about Chinese aid to Russia but as with other manufactured goods the Chinese drones are said to be preferred by Ukraine to the American made counterparts.
I think that arrangement has existed before can't think of an example.
The matter is now about to come to a head, Ukraine has stated they will attack RU shipping in the Black sea, that may be the trigger that makes this whole event go south.
Ukraine is Hitler in the Rhineland in 1936 revisited. Putin wants to put the band back together again. Hitler wanted to put the Austro-Hungry Empire back together again. Only it would be the GERMANY-austria Empire + basically the rest Europe Empire. For a start. China wants to put the China=Center of the World and the Middle Kingdom back together again.
There are other examples to situations similar to this for example American companies like Ford and Coca Cola continued to operate in Nazi Germany and the areas it occupied even after Germany declared war on the United States.
I believe that considerations from ALL parties, has been primarily to prevent that "potential global humanitarian disaster", rather than any direct business,.... business. Not for any altruistic motive; but because everyone knows, and fears, how food and fuel shortages impact populations everywhere, and put match to fuze everytime.....
The West/Ukraine and Russia don't seem interested in a negotiated peace that either can stomach. The longer the war goes on the worse that'll become. No good outcomes loom on the horizon. Maybe we'll hand Henry Kissinger a bottle of multi-vitamins and send him in to square things away like he did in Paris from 1968-1973.
Apparently, President Zelensky has told an Argentine newspaper that he is willing to play tit-for-tat should merchant shipping in to/out of Ukraine be attacked. There could be a lot of grain on the bottom of the Black Sea and oil on the surface if UKR starts attacking RUS traffic. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/entrevista-con-volodimir-zelensky-la-contraofensiva-es-complicada-probablemente-mas-lenta-de-lo-que-nid06082023/
"War is a racket." - Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC
Your two explanations here are, I think, broadly correct: it's about moderating global commodity prices. The Europeans are also broadly neutral because it is in their interest to be neutral. NATO is supposed to be a defensive alliance per the text of the treaty itself. It is not supposed to be an offensive pact that requires all parties to intervene when a third party to the treaty is attacked. But that is not what the US wants NATO to be. There's a gap between what it is, legally, and what the US wants it to be, practically, which is an extension of its own will.
This issue is similar to the issues faced by the Allies during WW2. Triangular trade with Germany thrived throughout WW2 because there were so many "gaps" with neutral countries. The kind of relatively effective blockade of WW1 was not possible because Germany had France by 1940 and much of Eastern Europe by late 1941. That type of geography issue is also a problem today like it was then. The Black Sea was (not coincidentally) a major avenue for imports destined for Germany. Ending that trade was one of the main motivations for the Italian campaign in 1943; it's why Stalin was so fervent in demanding it. The only way to stop neutral countries from trading with an enemy is to end their neutrality by attacking them. The US doesn't want to do that and can't really do that officially apart from looking the other way when mysterious frogmen blow up pipelines.
We could be asking the same about ourselves.
https://www.foreignassistance.gov/cd/afghanistan/2022/obligations/0
https://www.foreignassistance.gov/cd/afghanistan/2023/obligations/0
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/19/politics/afghanistan-congress-watchdog-hearing/index.html
It’s odd how Airbus said they would, finally stop buying Titanium forgings from the Russian government but never issued a press release proclaiming they they have.
And was it you who wrote about Chinese drones civilian specs, parts and kits, modified to suicide military uses that China supplies in whole or in parts to Ukraine? Complaints about Chinese aid to Russia but as with other manufactured goods the Chinese drones are said to be preferred by Ukraine to the American made counterparts.
The Middle East has a long tradition of keep the trade flowing as much as possible since before the Bronze Age Collapse.
It will be interesting to see if anti-economy operations keep expanding.
A couple 120mm mortar rounds deployed properly outside the war zone would cause a major panic, that's for sure.
I think that arrangement has existed before can't think of an example.
The matter is now about to come to a head, Ukraine has stated they will attack RU shipping in the Black sea, that may be the trigger that makes this whole event go south.
https://www.phactual.com/8-american-companies-that-worked-with-the-nazis-during-world-war-ii/
Ukraine is Hitler in the Rhineland in 1936 revisited. Putin wants to put the band back together again. Hitler wanted to put the Austro-Hungry Empire back together again. Only it would be the GERMANY-austria Empire + basically the rest Europe Empire. For a start. China wants to put the China=Center of the World and the Middle Kingdom back together again.
Everything old is new again.
There are other examples to situations similar to this for example American companies like Ford and Coca Cola continued to operate in Nazi Germany and the areas it occupied even after Germany declared war on the United States.