>While only Ukraine deserves get the credit for this remarkable success, it also shows that Ukraine is a much better ally to us than we are to Ukraine, ensuring that the Kremlin cannot instrumentalize the operation against Ukraine’s partners.
I suspect that the consistent and strong support in Portugal is because they did not get rid of the authoritarian fascist Salazar regime until 1974, in living memory for many. They remember.
Unfortunately that hasn't prevented the far-right party (Chega) from becoming the second largest in the parliament a couple of weeks ago.
Interestingly, though, even that party was supportive of Ukraine, at least in 2022. Maybe, as Minna mentions here, because they went with the popular opinion, being after all a populist party. At the time the communist party was the only one against (they must still think that Russia is the USSR).
" ...it also shows that Ukraine is a much better ally to us than we are to Ukraine". How very true! It's more than a pity that the US did not see it this way...even under the Biden administration. Tens of thousands of dead and wounded Ukrainians are the result. It's very promising to see Europe finally throwing off the "blinkers" about "forever" US support and stepping up to create a new European security system that must include Ukraine. Starmer's plan to re-arm Britain (if it holds true) is only one of the many positives that Trump's apparent "Götterdämmerung" of the US has created for the rest of the world (the "renewal" part, anyway). Thanks, Minna.
What tosh. The Ukrainians took part in an attack that could seriously hinder US security by undermining various nuclear arms limitation treaties. They're as reckless as they are desperate.
Glad you are back feeling better. While Germany is finally getting on-side, seems Polish elections did not go as we hoped. I still see this as a net win for Ukraine and the EU, but is there a darker trend underneath with Law and Justice in Poland?
Finally, thank you for confirming the stance of Portugal (and Spain in my impression when I visit is very pro Ukraine…my wife is Spanish) to show that support is even far from the locus of fighting. I think people forget that both countries only emerged 50 years ago from brutal, facsist dictatorships and that experience has not been forgotten.
So true. I grew up in a small western Massachusetts community where many Portuguese people immigrated to escape the brutal government. It is such great news that Ukraine has the support of Portugal. I am so glad you confirmed this with personal experience.
This is a really interesting question I don’t have a good answer to. It’s got to do with the geopolitics of the current fight for the hearts and minds in the Western Balkans and with the mistakes that have been made in the EU enlargement process. Serbia is an example of backlash due to frustration with the process I believe - but this isn’t really my expertise unfortunately.
I just hope that Serbia doesn’t try to ”do a Belarus” and play both sides until one day it becomes untenable
Thanks, Minna. In particular, the link to the Fabian Hoffman piece was invaluable. Now that the Kerch Bridge has been weakened, I'm hoping to eventually see the coup de grace brought on by Ukraine's first use of Taurus. That would be a game changer indeed.
"within Germany (in an opinion poll from November 2024, 61 percent of respondents were against delivering Taurus to Ukraine)."
Wow. So the public is OK with financing Ukraine's effort to develop their own long range weapons. But delivery of time-critical solutions is verboten.
Putin gambled that Europe would be too divided and selfish to present a serious obstacle. Things are moving against that theory, but so far Putin is not wrong.
I just heard former, Angela Stent, a former U.S. intelligence expert on Russia, suggest that the EU is unlikely ever to agree to seize the principle of RU assets. She is a measured voice who seems to understand Euro politics.
In my opinion those assets are the critical, central issue. With the U.S. unwilling to fund further, UKR is in a rough spot. RU has China buttress.
There have been promising moves from Europe but they are falling far short.
Logic is not carrying the day. Germans are afraid of retribution from Putin. In fact, we have a whole continent of (understandably) scared ppl hedging their bets and pulling punches, to double up on clichés.
Sure, Ukraine manufacturing its own long range systems is the goal. How many lives could be saved in 2023-2026 by destroying RU launch sites with those 50 taurus?
I’m under the impression that Taurus is better than Storm Shadow only for infrastructure targets like bridges. Might be too amateur of an understanding though.
Perhaps the Germans were familiar with the leaked Zoom meeting of the German Generals explaining how use of Taurus would necessarily involve Germany in actively targeting Russian territory. Perhaps some of them remember what happened last time they did that.
>While only Ukraine deserves get the credit for this remarkable success, it also shows that Ukraine is a much better ally to us than we are to Ukraine, ensuring that the Kremlin cannot instrumentalize the operation against Ukraine’s partners.
So painfully true.
Timing, as they say, is everything.
Polish election results were disappointing in the extreme.
And then Ukraine, on its own, successfully attacks multiple air bases in Russia. Next up, Russian oil infrastructure.
More broadly, this strike from Ukraine should lead other potential occupying power governments to rethink.
I suspect that the consistent and strong support in Portugal is because they did not get rid of the authoritarian fascist Salazar regime until 1974, in living memory for many. They remember.
Unfortunately that hasn't prevented the far-right party (Chega) from becoming the second largest in the parliament a couple of weeks ago.
Interestingly, though, even that party was supportive of Ukraine, at least in 2022. Maybe, as Minna mentions here, because they went with the popular opinion, being after all a populist party. At the time the communist party was the only one against (they must still think that Russia is the USSR).
" ...it also shows that Ukraine is a much better ally to us than we are to Ukraine". How very true! It's more than a pity that the US did not see it this way...even under the Biden administration. Tens of thousands of dead and wounded Ukrainians are the result. It's very promising to see Europe finally throwing off the "blinkers" about "forever" US support and stepping up to create a new European security system that must include Ukraine. Starmer's plan to re-arm Britain (if it holds true) is only one of the many positives that Trump's apparent "Götterdämmerung" of the US has created for the rest of the world (the "renewal" part, anyway). Thanks, Minna.
What tosh. The Ukrainians took part in an attack that could seriously hinder US security by undermining various nuclear arms limitation treaties. They're as reckless as they are desperate.
Reckless to defend yourself from an invading country that has a long history of murdering your countrymen. What tosh.
Glad you are back feeling better. While Germany is finally getting on-side, seems Polish elections did not go as we hoped. I still see this as a net win for Ukraine and the EU, but is there a darker trend underneath with Law and Justice in Poland?
Finally, thank you for confirming the stance of Portugal (and Spain in my impression when I visit is very pro Ukraine…my wife is Spanish) to show that support is even far from the locus of fighting. I think people forget that both countries only emerged 50 years ago from brutal, facsist dictatorships and that experience has not been forgotten.
So true. I grew up in a small western Massachusetts community where many Portuguese people immigrated to escape the brutal government. It is such great news that Ukraine has the support of Portugal. I am so glad you confirmed this with personal experience.
Glad you are back!
Minna, hello from Serbia, and a question- what do you think is the end game for Serbia’s strategy of supporting both sides? Vucic was just at the Victory Day parade in Moscow but Serbia is selling weapons to Ukraine. Why is the EU so tolerant of his shenanigans? https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/serbia-says-it-will-investigate-russian-accusations-that-it-ships-arms-ukraine-2025-05-30/
This is a really interesting question I don’t have a good answer to. It’s got to do with the geopolitics of the current fight for the hearts and minds in the Western Balkans and with the mistakes that have been made in the EU enlargement process. Serbia is an example of backlash due to frustration with the process I believe - but this isn’t really my expertise unfortunately.
I just hope that Serbia doesn’t try to ”do a Belarus” and play both sides until one day it becomes untenable
Thank you Minna.
Hope you are feeling much better and I certainly agree, Germany seems to be stepping up with exactly the right sort of support.
it is very comforting to hear of the support for ukraine amoungst europeans, i hope that mertz becomes the leader that europe requires
Good informative stuff Minna. Keep it going!
It seems Trump is making Europe great again.
The operation was brilliantly conceived and executed but if I read correctly took 18 months to complete. That is an eternity in modern warfare.
Thanks, Minna. In particular, the link to the Fabian Hoffman piece was invaluable. Now that the Kerch Bridge has been weakened, I'm hoping to eventually see the coup de grace brought on by Ukraine's first use of Taurus. That would be a game changer indeed.
"within Germany (in an opinion poll from November 2024, 61 percent of respondents were against delivering Taurus to Ukraine)."
Wow. So the public is OK with financing Ukraine's effort to develop their own long range weapons. But delivery of time-critical solutions is verboten.
Putin gambled that Europe would be too divided and selfish to present a serious obstacle. Things are moving against that theory, but so far Putin is not wrong.
I just heard former, Angela Stent, a former U.S. intelligence expert on Russia, suggest that the EU is unlikely ever to agree to seize the principle of RU assets. She is a measured voice who seems to understand Euro politics.
In my opinion those assets are the critical, central issue. With the U.S. unwilling to fund further, UKR is in a rough spot. RU has China buttress.
There have been promising moves from Europe but they are falling far short.
Isn’t that the logical solution? How many Taurus could be given…50?
Logic is not carrying the day. Germans are afraid of retribution from Putin. In fact, we have a whole continent of (understandably) scared ppl hedging their bets and pulling punches, to double up on clichés.
Sure, Ukraine manufacturing its own long range systems is the goal. How many lives could be saved in 2023-2026 by destroying RU launch sites with those 50 taurus?
I’m under the impression that Taurus is better than Storm Shadow only for infrastructure targets like bridges. Might be too amateur of an understanding though.
Perhaps the Germans were familiar with the leaked Zoom meeting of the German Generals explaining how use of Taurus would necessarily involve Germany in actively targeting Russian territory. Perhaps some of them remember what happened last time they did that.
Ha! In fact, they said the opposite :D :D
“The officers said training Ukrainian soldiers to deploy the Taurus on their own would be possible, but it would take months.”
https://apnews.com/article/germany-russia-ukraine-leaked-audio-taurus-98ba4fe85caf7d29902691f543a4dd04
That's not the opposite. Either way it's a lot more German involvement. There were only ever 600 of them made anyway.
With German assent Ukraine long range strikes in Russia using German Taurus cruise missiles maybe we should add a PACO to the TACO meme...