Ukraine

NATO’s response to Russian drones in Polish airspace was costly and ineffective, highlighting operational and political shortcomings, while Ukraine’s low-cost methods proved more efficient.

US President Trump’s recent phone call with Putin has raised concerns about America’s withdrawal from Ukraine diplomacy. Europe now faces heightened risks without US support, leaving it vulnerable in the region.

Pope Francis proposes an easy solution to the Ukraine conflict: Ukrainians should surrender. Why has no-one thought of it earlier?

The European response to the Russian onslaught in Ukraine has been marred by disunity and leadership failures, particularly from Germany and France. This has allowed Putin to exploit the situation.

In a tumultuous period marked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany’s decision to provide tanks to Ukraine was a contentious issue. Chancellor Olaf Scholz ultimately acquiesced, but the delay was perceived as reluctance by some. However, Germany’s insistence on a broad coalition led to the US sending additional tanks, presenting a united NATO front against Russian aggression.

The strategic implications of Putin’s war against Ukraine keep evolving as the conflict enters its fourth month. As yet another unintended consequence, it has broken the anti-EU axis between Warsaw and Budapest.

Of all the developments triggered by Putin’s war, the left’s departure from pacifism may be the most surprising one. It will be interesting to see whether only the left in Europe will focus on security in this way.

International junkets for public servants are not my cup of tea. But I will make an exception for the New Zealand Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi. Let’s send their infrastructure team to Ukraine.