You forgot one other thing that Merz did, assuredly with the support of Macron and Meloni: he told the Hungarians and by extension, the Slovaks to get in line or get the eff out of the EU. Specifically: he publicly threatened to cut off 40+ billion euros to Hungary and invoke article 7. He also called for a wholesale revision of the EU’s ridiculous unanimity rules. Since the leaders of both Hungary and Skovakia steal much of the aid sent their way, this was personal.
Super big happy dance! Thank you, Shankar. This is all wonderful news. I will join you to campaign for Merz. And I will be eternally grateful that Canada has Mark Carney. Such a clever man with a clear sense of purpose. I will take your word on Macron, though I will say his activities of the last many months have considerably altered my opinion in his favor.
Putin dug his own grave. He got far too cocky. Flyovers of non-combatant countries, bombing EU and US facilities, consistently targeting civilians, jamming the EU Presisent’s radar on her plane—he was pushing the world to react. And they did. From the outset his clear plan to move on Europe as soon as possible rang out from the Kremlin. The takeover was his stated objective. And Europe has begun fortifications against him. This move had to happen. Europe could not let him continue to encroach, or as you have pointed out time and again, give Russia wiggle room for financial regrouping This was the only real option.
I hope Trump is forced by the interested parties in the U.S. such as Lockheed Martin to proceed with this sale. I am a great fan of contract law (no joke), and look forward to enforcement of all provisions. Trump has been such a wild card. I really thought he might not only back off sanctions but give some kind of deal to Russia allowing Putin to burrow out of his difficulties.
The momentum is now all with Ukraine. May we all be grateful for their bravery in defending democracy.
I completely agree with you. Europe is becoming what the dream of the EU was: a united Europe. And it includes and trusts Ukraine to be an active member.
As for those contracts with US military contractors, I think everyone has learned Trump is untrustworthy and that those contractors will insist on their money. And money always rules!
It's taken far too long to get here, but "better late, than never". My "mantra" has always been that the only true security guarantee for Ukraine is the complete defeat...and seen to be a defeat...of the Russian army and the removal of Putin. Then, Ukraine, with the strongest and most capable army in Europe, will be the shield, behind which Europe can provide support. But Europe can never allow itself to become so weak, militarily, again. Thank Trump and Putin for that "wakeup call".
I'm betting that there won't be a Putin to deal with after the war. The Russian economy and war machine are in shambles, no small thanks to Ukraine's relentless assaults on their oil infrastructure and air defense systems. The oligarchs are jostling for position when he eventually falls. Putin will either be in exile, imprisoned or dead. Even the Russian people are beginning to revolt. IMO, it will be decades before there is ever going to be a Russian threat against Ukraine. I doubt the other satellite countries will present much of a problem with the EU looking over Ukraine's shoulder. They will have plenty of time to build and maintain their own army.
Europe understands in a way that we in the US don’t that, in effect, all of Western Europe is at war with Putin and the front line just happens to be in Ukraine right now. This is their fight too. I just wish they’d been more invested in it earlier. It may have taken Trump becoming president that finally put them over the edge, from subservient to self reliant. But we’ll have to see if it holds.
Hallelujah!! Finally get to see Ukraine take the real fight to Russia. I want to see them bring Putin to his knees and then cut them off so he doesn't get back up in one piece ever again. He deserves pain and punishment, and then perhaps a delightful swan dive from a very high rooftop. He's good at killing others with glee, let's see how he takes a dose of his own medicine. I hope you're right Shankar! I really, really do. ❤👌💯
"This is Europe setting the stage to take delivery of long-range weapons from the United States and then transfer them to Ukraine."
Trump will nix this move, as he recently did with Storm Shadow & SCALP
Europe will have to get U.S. components out of their long range weapons. Ukraine is largely on their own. Europe (including Ukraine) has to urgently prepare for independence.
Nope, he most likely wont. US defense industrial complex wants the ten billion order through PURL to clear. They see this as an existential crisis for them. The pro Putin billionaires will back off for the time being and try to control through their placeholders inside the admin. So likely path is weapons sales goes through and Pentagon tries to make it useless post sales. Europe needs to get ready for the post sales problems that is guaranteed to show up.
I guess we'll know sooner than later. If the weapons purchases come with the same strings attached that we've seen in the past, I can't be persuaded that all is fine
.
BTW, who knew that the SCALP and Storm Shadows had U.S. imposed limitations due to U.S. components? I suppose experts knew, but it was shocking to me.
Hi Richard. I also was shocked and am outraged at the perfidy of the U.S. as evidenced by the sneaky contracts put forth and enforced by the Pentagon.
I’ve traveled in my retirement, and have stopped being surprised at how much hatred the citizens of other countries have toward the U.S. now that I know some of their reasons.
The weapons purchase contracts must be worded perfectly and be ironclad in favor of the buyer. There can be no language allowing for buyer’s remorse with no recourse at this point.
The contracts must be written with the European buyers’ expectation that the U.S. cannot be trusted at all, ever, based on past purchases.
The stakes have never been higher. A misplaced word or phrase that could be misinterpreted deliberately to delay delivery or control use must be identified and corrected prior to signing.
You forgot one other thing that Merz did, assuredly with the support of Macron and Meloni: he told the Hungarians and by extension, the Slovaks to get in line or get the eff out of the EU. Specifically: he publicly threatened to cut off 40+ billion euros to Hungary and invoke article 7. He also called for a wholesale revision of the EU’s ridiculous unanimity rules. Since the leaders of both Hungary and Skovakia steal much of the aid sent their way, this was personal.
Not on this one. Covered it two days ago
And we like it!
Super big happy dance! Thank you, Shankar. This is all wonderful news. I will join you to campaign for Merz. And I will be eternally grateful that Canada has Mark Carney. Such a clever man with a clear sense of purpose. I will take your word on Macron, though I will say his activities of the last many months have considerably altered my opinion in his favor.
Putin dug his own grave. He got far too cocky. Flyovers of non-combatant countries, bombing EU and US facilities, consistently targeting civilians, jamming the EU Presisent’s radar on her plane—he was pushing the world to react. And they did. From the outset his clear plan to move on Europe as soon as possible rang out from the Kremlin. The takeover was his stated objective. And Europe has begun fortifications against him. This move had to happen. Europe could not let him continue to encroach, or as you have pointed out time and again, give Russia wiggle room for financial regrouping This was the only real option.
I hope Trump is forced by the interested parties in the U.S. such as Lockheed Martin to proceed with this sale. I am a great fan of contract law (no joke), and look forward to enforcement of all provisions. Trump has been such a wild card. I really thought he might not only back off sanctions but give some kind of deal to Russia allowing Putin to burrow out of his difficulties.
The momentum is now all with Ukraine. May we all be grateful for their bravery in defending democracy.
I completely agree with you. Europe is becoming what the dream of the EU was: a united Europe. And it includes and trusts Ukraine to be an active member.
As for those contracts with US military contractors, I think everyone has learned Trump is untrustworthy and that those contractors will insist on their money. And money always rules!
Hoping that the rest of Putin’s life will be a continuous series of “worst day ever” days for him, possibly culminating in an open window moment.
Still not there yet. Needs more work.
It's taken far too long to get here, but "better late, than never". My "mantra" has always been that the only true security guarantee for Ukraine is the complete defeat...and seen to be a defeat...of the Russian army and the removal of Putin. Then, Ukraine, with the strongest and most capable army in Europe, will be the shield, behind which Europe can provide support. But Europe can never allow itself to become so weak, militarily, again. Thank Trump and Putin for that "wakeup call".
Agreed.
🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺
Great news! Excellent analysis! Hope prevails.
KEEP IT UP!!
Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
at long last europe has decided that it is elbows up time, to use a canadian metaphor
Excellent. A bad day for Putin is a bad day for Trump, Xi, and Netanyahu.
Does Putin have a ‘natural’ successor, is it Medvedev?
Would his death destabilize the Russian war machine and end the war?
During WWII the British had an operation plan to eliminate Hitler ‘Operation Foxley’, is this option on the table?
I'm betting that there won't be a Putin to deal with after the war. The Russian economy and war machine are in shambles, no small thanks to Ukraine's relentless assaults on their oil infrastructure and air defense systems. The oligarchs are jostling for position when he eventually falls. Putin will either be in exile, imprisoned or dead. Even the Russian people are beginning to revolt. IMO, it will be decades before there is ever going to be a Russian threat against Ukraine. I doubt the other satellite countries will present much of a problem with the EU looking over Ukraine's shoulder. They will have plenty of time to build and maintain their own army.
Europe understands in a way that we in the US don’t that, in effect, all of Western Europe is at war with Putin and the front line just happens to be in Ukraine right now. This is their fight too. I just wish they’d been more invested in it earlier. It may have taken Trump becoming president that finally put them over the edge, from subservient to self reliant. But we’ll have to see if it holds.
Glorious News!
Are limits on the range and usage of US long range missiles kinda silly whilst the Ukraine is producing Flamingos and Long Neptunes?
At the very least, the fact that Ukraine is now producing these weapons should be a powerful argument for taking these limitations off.
Hallelujah!! Finally get to see Ukraine take the real fight to Russia. I want to see them bring Putin to his knees and then cut them off so he doesn't get back up in one piece ever again. He deserves pain and punishment, and then perhaps a delightful swan dive from a very high rooftop. He's good at killing others with glee, let's see how he takes a dose of his own medicine. I hope you're right Shankar! I really, really do. ❤👌💯
"This is Europe setting the stage to take delivery of long-range weapons from the United States and then transfer them to Ukraine."
Trump will nix this move, as he recently did with Storm Shadow & SCALP
Europe will have to get U.S. components out of their long range weapons. Ukraine is largely on their own. Europe (including Ukraine) has to urgently prepare for independence.
Nope, he most likely wont. US defense industrial complex wants the ten billion order through PURL to clear. They see this as an existential crisis for them. The pro Putin billionaires will back off for the time being and try to control through their placeholders inside the admin. So likely path is weapons sales goes through and Pentagon tries to make it useless post sales. Europe needs to get ready for the post sales problems that is guaranteed to show up.
I guess we'll know sooner than later. If the weapons purchases come with the same strings attached that we've seen in the past, I can't be persuaded that all is fine
.
BTW, who knew that the SCALP and Storm Shadows had U.S. imposed limitations due to U.S. components? I suppose experts knew, but it was shocking to me.
Putin knew. He always knew.
That explains so much.
I feel Europe is at the point where they will take the same attitude to the US as they are to Putin.
(If you don’t restrict yourself with rules , then we won’t either )
We have the weapons , we bought and paid for them - we WILL use them.
Hi Richard. I also was shocked and am outraged at the perfidy of the U.S. as evidenced by the sneaky contracts put forth and enforced by the Pentagon.
I’ve traveled in my retirement, and have stopped being surprised at how much hatred the citizens of other countries have toward the U.S. now that I know some of their reasons.
The weapons purchase contracts must be worded perfectly and be ironclad in favor of the buyer. There can be no language allowing for buyer’s remorse with no recourse at this point.
The contracts must be written with the European buyers’ expectation that the U.S. cannot be trusted at all, ever, based on past purchases.
The stakes have never been higher. A misplaced word or phrase that could be misinterpreted deliberately to delay delivery or control use must be identified and corrected prior to signing.