Getting bolder – in for the kill

Getting modern heavy offensive weapons to Ukraine
Reuters has reported that Slovakia is discussing the sale of Slovakian made Zuzana advanced self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
In television debate the Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad said: "I can confirm that we are in talks (about the sale)," (Reuters).
Germany also seems to see the idea of selling heavy weapons as a way out of the German predicament. Instead of just giving Ukraine what they are asking for, which might further provoke Russia, giving Ukraine the money to buy heavy weapons might be seen as a kind non-involvement solution.
According to the German public service broadcaster ARD, Chancellor Scholz has announced that Germany will provide a total of two billion euros in further military aid - significantly more than one billion euros of which will go directly to Ukraine.
The Ukrainians can use the money to buy the weapons they want - in consultation with the US and other partners.
The money is to be paid as part of the federal government's empowerment initiative (Ertüchtigungsinitiative der Bundesregierung). An initiative originally intended to help bring about security and peace. Another 400 million euros from the overall package are intended for the European Peace Facility, which would then buy weapons for Ukraine. The remaining 400 million euros are for other countries.
If Ukraine then wants to buy weapons from Germany, it would have to be approved by Bundeswirtschaftsminister (Federal Economics Minister) Robert Habeck, and Germany has a very restrictive policy on sale of weapons to sensitive areas, which might pose a new problem. ”All exports of military equipment are subject to a licence, which is only issued following detailed scrutiny of each case. The German government pays particular attention to ensuring that the goods will not be misused to commit human rights violations or to exacerbate a crisis.” (Emphasis added). (bmwi.de).
 
How to train Ukrainian troops in their use
According to The Times British Special Forces are now again in Ukraine, training local troops in Obolon on the outskirts of Kyiv in the use of British supplied NLAW anti-tank missiles.
According to CBS News “A small number of Ukrainians who have been in the U.S. since the fall in professional military education programs have received rudimentary training on weapons systems that are new to the Ukrainian military …
The U.S. has taken advantage of having a small number of Ukrainians in the country and pulled them aside for a couple of days to receive training on how to operate switchblade drones… The small number of individuals are expected to go back to Ukraine relatively soon, as was initially planned and can train additional Ukrainian soldiers on the weapons.” (CBS).
More training will certainly be needed for advanced heavy weapons and the use of smart ammunition. More western special forces in Ukraine or letting Ukrainians train in the West?
The UK is not only delivering armoured vehicles to Ukraine. The Armed Forces Minister, James Heappey, has told Forces News Ukrainian troops will be trained in Britain on how to use the armoured vehicles being provided.
 
Getting bolder – in for the “kill”
One wonders if the West is now seeing Russia as being so weak and beaten, that further involvement does not risk direct war with Russia. The West perhaps even eyeing the possible defeat of Russian troops, if Ukraine is given everything they want in order to conduct the war of behalf of not the least the U.S.
This would mean that present verbal and written threats from Russia are being disregarded. One wonders if the Biden’s administration hawks are now so self-assured that they see no need for some kind of diplomatic solution that would mean that Ukraine would also have to be reined in.
One wonders if that isn’t a very risky policy, as no one in the West knows what Russia might do in order to avoid defeat. Would they amass even more troops in Eastern Ukraine, escalate the severe bombing and missile attacks, attack western weapons supply columns in countries bordering Ukraine, get help with smart weapons and equipment from China, or in fact use tactical nuclear weapons in order to avoid defeat.
If Russia really used tactical nuclear weapons the game would be up, as Europe presumably would not accept to let the U.S. retaliate in kind.
What would Europe do? Don’t someone in Europe see the need for a serious and independent European diplomatic effort to enhance a chance for peace, instead of just finding strange arrangements for providing Ukraine with the heavy weapons that Zelensky and Kuleba assert are necessary for peace?

See also the essay: Sucked into a war for peace
https://wahrnehmungen.weebly.com/blog/sucked-into-a-war-for-peace