UKRAINE – THE FIRST CRACKS? When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022 the first country to provided practical assistance in the shape of 3,000 NLAW, shoulder launched anti-tank weapons, was the UK. That was a catalyst for American support, followed somewhat reluctantly by France and Germany and eventually by all of NATO. Although Turkey and Hungary had reservations, support for Ukraine was firm, with the West providing weapons, intelligence and training. Originally NATO provided defensive weapons, to avoid escalation of the conflict, but when the UK was first to supply tanks and, with Denmark, the first to begin training Ukrainian pilots to fly the F16, the irrational policy of supplying only defensive weapons was abandoned. It has been the firm resolve of NATO that Russian aggression must not be allowed to succeed, for if it is then her appetite for a reconstitution of the Tsarist empire will only increase. Up to now that resolve has held.
Yes, the L&J did pretty well but not well enough to form a majority. I think you are right that support for Ukraine had a lot to do with it, although the agricultural lobby is strong - viz the long drawn out negotiations over the CAP when Poland was joining the EU. Tusk is a sensible fellow so we can probably breathe again.
Looks like the Law and Justice Party ended up getting trounced in the election. I wonder how much it had to do with their threat to end support to Ukraine?
I am very uneasy about the absolutely unacceptable partisan brinkmanship that has brought the US closer to turning its back on the global struggle for democracy. Here's hoping we get out of this moment without catastrophe on this side of the pond, at least!
I presume by Balkan you meant Baltic and I agree that their existence especially as members of NATO is a sour reminder to Putin of Russia’s weakness though he might prefer subversion to open military operations against NATO members just as he has elsewhere in the Alliance.
Yes, the L&J did pretty well but not well enough to form a majority. I think you are right that support for Ukraine had a lot to do with it, although the agricultural lobby is strong - viz the long drawn out negotiations over the CAP when Poland was joining the EU. Tusk is a sensible fellow so we can probably breathe again.
Looks like the Law and Justice Party ended up getting trounced in the election. I wonder how much it had to do with their threat to end support to Ukraine?
I am very uneasy about the absolutely unacceptable partisan brinkmanship that has brought the US closer to turning its back on the global struggle for democracy. Here's hoping we get out of this moment without catastrophe on this side of the pond, at least!
I presume by Balkan you meant Baltic and I agree that their existence especially as members of NATO is a sour reminder to Putin of Russia’s weakness though he might prefer subversion to open military operations against NATO members just as he has elsewhere in the Alliance.
You are of course quite right - a stupid typo by me. I do indeed mean Baltic - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.