Russia - threadbanned users in OP

German defence minister has resigned, good, let's hope they put someone capable in that position now

Again, not true.

Germany has trained Ukrainians to use the phz 2000 and Iris T systems. They also announced a joint program to train thousands of troops. All just a quick Google away.

The US has started more advanced combined arms training today... In Germany.

I imagine movement on the tank issue to be resolved or at least coming to a head at the next NATO meeting.

If the Americans move to offer some Abrams to Ukraine, then Germany wont have a leg to stand on given that there is already a broad coalition in Europe to give Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

It seems every month or two, what seemed impossible becomes possible. Can anyone imagine that now, Ukraine would be getting Patriots, Bradleys and Challegner 2's?

The next 3-4 months will be telling what else Ukraine can get. More MBT's and perhaps more effective fighters/helicopters. There was talk about the A-10 for a bit but that has died down.

Just for the record, there are Ukrainian pilots who have flown F-15s. They might not have all the switches and weapons sytems proceedures memorised, but give them a couple months and they would probably have a good enough handle on those bits to put them to good use.

Meanwhile in russia........

Why not ? Aaah sure besides the fact that it could lead to global Armageddon, what can they do ?

Are you serious.....besides "Nuclear Weapons" what can they do ??? Have you any idea, whatsoever about what it is youre actually talking about ?

This time last year you probably couldnt point Ukraine out on a world map if it wasnt named for you, but 11 months later you think itd be acceptable to lose everyone and everything youve ever loved, have the society YOUVE come to depend on, with its health care , easy access to food and clean water, consumables on demand and basically every 1st world perk youve learned to enjoy since birth to be wiped out, only to be replaced by a radioactive nightmare where society has become a kill or be killed scenario as food etc begins to run out .....really ?

This isnt a Hollywood movie where a white knight arrives and everything is saved.

This is something you think is an acceptable alternative to what you have now ?

Stop talking bollox and cop on to yourself.

Who told him that ?

Do you prefer to be held hostage by every nuke wielding idiot as a result ??

War is raging in Europe ... we picked a side ... Now its time to end it ..There are certain ways to accomplish this.. Europe could send in troops to Ukraine to relieve the border guards on the Belarusian border, freeing them up to fight in the east for instance.

There will be no NATO or European troops in Ukraine. Foreign volunteers are the most that will ever happen

Yes,I've seen that,Very upsetting viewing.

The death toll has climbed to 40, from 30 yesterday.

I was replying to weisses post saying "Apart from nuclear weapons what else can they do ?"

I too don't believe that Russia will use nuclear weapons in Europe or Ukraine as they too would be turned into glass.

What I don't like is this apparent dismissal or cavalier attitude towards the actual consequences nuclear weapons can have....weisses throw away statement is ridiculous in that its like "Ah sure its just nuclear weapons, nothing major like".

Like many on here, I grew up in the 70s and 80s when the Cold War was in full swing and the threat of nuclear war was very real indeed.

The situation we have now, although it remains very unlikely, has the potential to escalate slowly but very surely to a point where the possibility of nuclear weapons being used, even tactical ones, becomes more of a potential possibility.

Major conflicts throughout history very rarely developed into a full on war quickly or over night, they simmered, there was toing and froing, there were gains and losses on both sides but ever so slowly but surely, they ratchet up, up to a point where its sh1t or bust and one of them loses the cool or faces losing the battle and that's when its at its most dangerous.

We were all riding on the crest of a wave since the end of WW2, where Europe enjoyed decades of peace or just limited conflicts (Serbia V Croatia etc. ), there is a whole demographic of people that have never had the spectre of war, never mind nuclear war hang over them, and they seem to see this continuing war between Russia and Ukraine as some kind of spectator sport, where we all pick sides and hope the baddy gets his ass whooped by the good guy.

That's not how these conflicts go, irrespective of whatever we'd all love to see happen in Ukraine i.e. Russia get destroyed in every way imaginable - this conflict could very easily, over many many months, slowly escalate to the point where the unthinkable becomes the possible and I don't care if any of you start saying "No No that's just what Russia wants you to think" - No one, not even those people know how this war is going to turn out and dismissing the power and utter devastation even a limited nuclear exchange could have on ALL our lives is a bad idea.

The chances of this happening are minimal but any possibility, even remote possibilities need to be respected and never dismissed.