Think the future donations might be more consumables rather than vehicles. 155mm shells, Warsaw pact calibre ammunition from countries like Pakistan and air defense munitions. Imagine the Russians will conduct a campaign similar to the previous one targeting energy infrastructure.
The jets are one area where to expect significant deliveries. Something like the SAAB Grippen would be excellent for Ukraine. As you mentioned supplies are limited, hence the F16.
It could be the Americans think a slow bleed of Russia is preferable to a swift and total defeat and the resultant chaos that might ensue from that..
This is what I've been saying for a while,there is no big stocks of exsoviet equipment anywhere is Europe now , which means going further afield like you said , nobody in Europe is building new tanks and vehicles to be donated to Ukraine, go back through this thread and you'll see said give them cv90s ifv ,give them archers and gripens before most people even knew what they actually were, the Archer artillery system is brilliant but only 17 of them exist, which ukraine got some of already,
But the idea of zelensky calling out countries for not doing enough or claiming that countries support Russia is not a great look, he shouldn't be calling out countries while demanding countries Donate tanks , aircraft and weapons,at some point he's going to end up being told yes you can have new tanks when you buy them from countries rather than having a wish list that can only be donated
Agree completely and Zelensky said as much this week.
I agree. The US has done a lot already and the EU can't have it both ways: on the one hand it wants to be a major world player, on the other hand it wants US to be the saviour when there's war on the European continent.
There are definite cracks forming in the alliance and all it does is encourage Putin to hang in there. The European countries must provide more and better military aid but I really don't see where the decisive contribution is going to come from.
We criticise the US and other larger countries, but if we do feel strongly about it, a better use of energy is to write to your TD and MEP and tell them you want to see Ireland and the EU provide as much military support as is possible.
They aren't listening to him any more. Yes you'll get the odd arms announcement but the overall goal is to slowly demolish the Russian army and indeed Russia itself. The west could care less if over a million Ukrainians die in a 5-10 year war if it achieves that goal. If they wanted Ukraine to win rapidly it would have happened last year. Don't get me wrong, this whole sorry situation is Putin's doing but don't mistake the fact that the US in particular see this as an opportunity not to be missed.
Our response here has been particularly pathetic tbh. The "wE aRe neEutrAl" standard response from our government is criminal. We are the ultimate sit on the fence nation.
That to me seems very plausible
There's definitely an argument to be made for that yes, even though a now-banned poster always claimed that was "Russian propaganda". But it often seems the US in particular favours a long war that greatly weakens Russia and stops it stirring sh*t elsewhere, over a total defeat of Putin that could to very unpredictable consequences.
In a way, I understand that from a US perspective. But it means more and prolonged suffering for Ukraine.
I've always said I think the only hope for a truly positive end to the war is regime change from within Russia. But where that will come from is also unclear.
What both the EU and the USAs next question is who manages a collapsed and shattered Russia after Putin?
I can see from the USA perspective that they'd be thinking "hey Europe, that's your backyard, deal with it".
The EU perspective is there isn't the domestic political will within the EU to provide for a Marshall Plan type rehabilitation of Russia, although from a resources perspective that reconstruction would quickly pay for itself.
Yeah, the European market would seem to be one of very low stock and long waiting lists. Tellingly the Poles which seem to be aiming for rapid rearmament seems to be partnering with Korean and US defense firms.
If you want a smaller scale example look at the Danes and their howitzers. The ordered CAESAR artillery pieces from the French. The delivery was quite slow and then the Danes faced considerable lobbying to donate equipment to Ukraine. The gave the equipment to Ukraine. They then opted to replace them with Israeli made guns as they could be delivered very quickly.
In terms of ex-Soviet stock, Cyprus would be an obvious candidate . Unfortunately Erdogan's Turkey makes it a non starter. Which also impacts the Greeks enthusiasm to donate gear. From what I gather there are attempts to send some like for like replacements, to get around for instance the Swiss vetoes on armour.
The Ukrainians have to be careful with their criticism, as you mentioned, the optics can be bad.
Why should anyone from outside help Russia? Fcuk them they can stew in their own mess.
Another boom in Crimea
This
Anything as a measure of GDP will skew against Ireland. Our GDP is massively inflated due to how economy is structured.
That attitude, as a policy at governmental level, would be a disaster in terms of trying to achieve global stability, social and economic.
Only days after Ukraine destroyed a communication center command post in Crimea also. The bridge must be sweating!
These things take time to take effect. They want theatre, not actual blowback from their base who would be made realise they use government services. It won't last long enough to matter for the Ukraine.
The EU has done more for UKR than the USA. You need to look at all the aide, not just from individual countries or EU institutions, but by the group as a whole. The EU has done more than all other countries combined.
https://www.ifw-kiel.de/publications/news/ukraine-support-tracker-europe-clearly-overtakes-us-with-total-commitments-now-twice-as-large/
Crimea, very spicy today
Ireland does not have any weapons to give to Ukraine. However, Ireland is strong in many other aspects and can give other goods that are needed and can be produced in Ireland, like medicines or electronics.
Continental stability, that's why the EU exists.
After the USSR dissolved Russia took on an unregulated wild west version of capitalism which would never have been entertained in the welfare states of post WWII reconstruction Europe. Putin filled the void of leadership under crony capitalism and kept the national project together under the banner of restoring Russian imperial greatness.
Half the Russia's shrinking population live in the western most 8th, the European end. In a post Putin collapse of Russia it's inevitable that a social reconstruction be led to secure our eastern border.
Lol
Is that all aid or just military?
For sure EU has done plenty but it may need to do considerably more if US aid fades away (which it may not do)
Strike on HQ, that's good, if only for symbolic value
They intercepted the missile with their fleet HQ!
They won't be selling many s-400s from now on... this once again demonstrates that Russian weaponry is vastly inferior to Western Weaponry. No way would an American or British building of this stature get hit in a missile strike. I think it also shows The Ukrainans don't have to occupy Crimea to retake it, chip away bit by bit and make it untenable for the Russians to stay there long term.
What Europe does more than the US is deal with the carnage, like how we ended up helping Syrians long after the US had forgotten why ISIS drove Humvees.
You mean the like current instability Russia is inflicting on the EU and half the world!
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