Three items on the war.
First shows that Merkel is not much smarter than Biden:
Merkel: But that also requires you to say what exactly the alternatives were at the time. I thought the initiation of NATO accession for Ukraine and Georgia discussed in 2008 was wrong. The countries neither had the necessary prerequisites for this, nor had the consequences of such a decision been fully considered, both with regard to Russia's actions against Georgia and Ukraine and to NATO and its rules of assistance. And the 2014 Minsk agreement was an attempt to give Ukraine time.
Putin, and many others, have taken this to mean NATO had no intention of honoring the Minsk agreement and were just gaining time to give Ukraine enough weapons to be able to break it. After this, good luck convincing countries that were on the fence that Russia is in the wrong. Also, good luck getting any kind of agreement in the future.
Second.
Not to let Merkel out stupid America, we've seen some rumblings (from Congressman for example) to give Ukraine long range weapons to hit Russia proper.
Putin has said two things from the very beginning: if Ukraine hits Russia proper they would regret it and if Ukraine does it with NATO supplied weapons it will hold NATO responsible. Ukraine hit the Kerch bridge and has since said good bye to the power grid.
If Ukraine uses a NATO supplied missile to hit, for example, Moscow (which they would if they could), what do you think the response would be. Maybe one missile into London
for every one into Moscow? One into the reflecting pool in DC? This is how you things ratchet up towards WWIII and armageddon.
Third
Taiwan has about 6-8 years as an independent country. At that point China will have 1000 nuclear warheads.
If the US carries through with long range weapons to Ukraine above we are probably all dead, but if they don't, China has noted that if they have enough nukes Taiwan won't get the ability, and US won't, strike the mainland. Also noted from Ukraine is the US anti missile defense systems can't shoot down enough missiles to make a difference. China can turn Taiwan into smoking rubble.
Nice little renegade province you have there, be a shame if something happened to it.