If Russia invades Ukraine (more)...

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'd like to know how far our stock of weapons has been depleted since the start of the Ukraine war and how much (if any) our rate of production has increased.

[Banquo]

I'd like to know how far our stock of weapons has been depleted since the start of the Ukraine war and how much (if any) our rate of production has increased.

I'd guess a lot and not at all given the state of public finances and how asleep we and the rest of europe have been at the wheel on defence.

[Sandydragon]

I'd like to know how far our stock of weapons has been depleted since the start of the Ukraine war and how much (if any) our rate of production has increased.

I'd guess a lot and not at all given the state of public finances and how asleep we and the rest of europe have been at the wheel on defence.

Probably a fair assessment. Clearly we need an Euro defence pact, perhaps with Canada, since the US now has other priorities.

[Sandydragon]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... atest-news

[H2]Trump calls Zelenskyy a 'dictator without elections'[/H2]

We have more detail on Donald Trump's Truth Social post:


Trump called Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" after the Ukrainian leader earlier on Wednesday accused Trump of being trapped in a "disinformation bubble."


[H2]Zelenskyy 'better move fast' or he won't have a country left - Trump[/H2]

In a Truth Social post Donald Trump wrote Ukraine's Zelenskyy "better move fast" or he won't have a country left. Trump added that Zelenskyy had "done a terrible job" and called him a dictator "without elections".

With friends like these...

It's because he dared to answer back, even if only mildly.

At this point, is there any merit to paying attention to the US-Russia "peace talks"? The US won't give any more money or equipment to Ukraine regardless, so there's not really much pressure that they can put on Ukraine. Given that, what weight do the terms of a Putin-Trump deal carry?

Puja

From a Ukrainian perspective, based on current reporting:
Lose land lost to Russia,
Might lose entire Oblasts (so more land)
No guarantee of any real protection,
Elections will continue until an acceptable candidate is chosen,
Lose natural resources to pay America back.
Monitoring force that will have next to no capability to stop anything and night be biased (if Putin gets his way)

Not hugely enticing. Is it better to surrender now and delay the inevitable for a couple of years or just keep fighting and hope the Europeans can stand up?

[paddy no 11]

Pretty grim position for Ukraine

[Puja]

Can only imagine they'll choose to fight on in that situation. Europe will still be keen to support and, even though Ukraine is nowhere near the same force without the USA backing them, they can fight a defensive war that'll be absolutely horrendous for Russia to deal with, and hope the international situation changes given time.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'd like to know how far our stock of weapons has been depleted since the start of the Ukraine war and how much (if any) our rate of production has increased.

I'd guess a lot and not at all given the state of public finances and how asleep we and the rest of europe have been at the wheel on defence.

Probably a fair assessment. Clearly we need an Euro defence pact, perhaps with Canada, since the US now has other priorities.

I hope that - even if no more funding became available - at the very least there was some reallocation of resources so that weapons given to Ukraine in large amounts (eg anti-tank weapons in the early days) have been prioritized and produced or procured at an accelerated rate.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Can only imagine they'll choose to fight on in that situation. Europe will still be keen to support and, even though Ukraine is nowhere near the same force without the USA backing them, they can fight a defensive war that'll be absolutely horrendous for Russia to deal with, and hope the international situation changes given time.

Puja

With Russian and US guarantees of future security being utterly worthless they'll fight on for as long as there are able.