Ukraine war thread

[Dr Strangelove]

[Dr Strangelove]

[Dr Strangelove]

[Dr Strangelove]

https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/02/16/ ... ged-midas/

[Dr Strangelove]

Pilots from the US and the Netherlands are flying F-16s in Ukraine and shooting down Russian missiles.

Ukraine has established an international squadron of F-16 fighter jets that shoots down Russian missiles and drones — Intelligence Online.

The squadron consists of veterans from the US and the Netherlands with combat experience, as well as Ukrainian pilots. The unit was formed under a veil of secrecy.

Its primary mission is to strengthen the air defenses of Kyiv and the surrounding region. The squadron conducts combat missions almost daily, intercepting Russian cruise missiles, including Kalibr and X-101, as well as attack drones. Patrols are often carried out at night.

Journalists point out that the contribution of Western veterans is particularly important when working with highly technical components. The Ukrainian crews already possessed basic knowledge but lacked extensive, multi-year experience with such systems.

The foreign pilots work on six-month contracts with the possibility of extension. They are not formally integrated into the public command structure, but participate directly in combat missions. Most have experience with operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

[Dr Strangelove]

The delegations from the UK and France joined the talks between Russia, the US, and Ukraine in Geneva without being invited. I think this really messed up the plans to quickly "sort everything out" behind Europe's back and push for the annexation of Donbas — which is obviously what the US and Russian delegates were planning to do. London and Paris made it clear: no agreements about Europe without Europe. This is an extremely important show of support and a demonstration of their position. Thank you very much.

[Dr Strangelove]

Germany's Role in European Defense (7:35-13:25):

Butts observed that the conference was dominated by German defense companies, signaling Germany's intent to "lead the defense of Europe in the 21st century" (8:02).
They recall a dramatic moment from the 2022 conference where a German official, Wolfgang Schmidt, sarcastically questioned if the U.S. truly wanted Germany to "raise a large army, march through Poland, and confront the Russians"

European War and U.S. Disengagement (13:26-18:48):

Europeans feel the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a major "European war," contrasting with North America's distance (14:05).
The "post-war America is not the regular America," which typically avoids foreign entanglements (16:33).
The speakers highlight the "Trump administration's fancying Greenland" as a "fundamental betrayal" that severely damaged transatlantic trust (17:23).
Canada's Position and Opportunities (22:28-26:09):

Canada faces challenges due to the US-Europe divide but also finds opportunities in defense procurement and acting as a "coalition of states that are going to defend democracy" (23:21).

[Dr Strangelove]