Monday, February 19, 2024 11:22:48 PM
On Tuesday, the Swedish government is set to announce its largest military aid package to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, reports the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. The package, valued at 7.1 billion Swedish crowns (approximately 700 million dollars), will include military equipment, but the details remain undisclosed.
The upcoming 15th assistance package will be presented at a press conference on Tuesday, with both the defense minister and the prime minister in attendance. It will consist of military equipment drawn from the country’s armed forces stockpiles.
In addition, funds have been allocated for the purchase of new defense equipment from manufacturers, which will also be sent to Ukraine.
Since Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022, Sweden has provided Ukraine with weapons and equipment worth a total of 22.2 billion Swedish crowns (over 2.1 billion dollars) across 14 support packages. The largest package to date, worth 6.3 billion Swedish crowns, included Leopard tanks and Archer artillery systems.
Sweden has already supplied Ukraine with some of the most advanced heavy weaponry systems, including 50 Stridsfordon 90 tanks, an equivalent of 10 Leopard tanks, eight Archer artillery units, Hawk surface-to-air missiles, NLAW anti-tank missiles, Hellfire anti-ship missiles, and anti-tank guns, along with accompanying parts and ammunition.
Towards the end of 2023, Sweden allocated 1.4 billion crowns (more than 125 million dollars) in financial assistance to Ukraine, including funds aimed at supporting Ukrainians during winter.
(C)UAWIRE 2024
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Yeah, that’s an impressive package with very helpful ingredients:
“Combat boats and infantry fighting vehicles: Sweden allocates record military aid package to Ukraine”
https://mil.in.ua/en/news/combat-boats-and-infantry-fighting-vehicles-sweden-allocates-record-military-aid-package-to-ukraine/
And meanwhile, Johnson is having fun on vacation with the number 1 ballerina of the Bolshoi who explains to him the terms of the meeting he will have with Biden: give nothing, block everything, destroy Ukraine…
I’m concerned, too, that this is yet another Rethuglican publicity stunt, only designed to embarass Biden, with no real will to compromise behind it. After all, if Johnson comes to an agreement with the Dems, Trumpists will immediately force him out as Speaker (they can do this under the rules they forced through). A solution can’t be reached by negotiations with this grandstanding clown, but either by flattering Trump to make a deal or encouraging pro-Ukrainian Republicans to rebel and bypass Johnson.
“if Johnson comes to an agreement with the Dems, Trumpists will immediately force him out as Speaker”
In my opinion Johnson is completely submissive to Trump, he will do everything his leader asks, like a good little well-trained dog.
If by some miracle Johnson takes the vote to the House and a motion to “vacate the chair” is called for, I think things would be complicated for everyone. I’m not sure that the “Gaetz eight” would obtain a majority to expel him.
From what I’ve read in US media, they don’t have to get a majority. It only takes a single annoyed Representative to unseat Johnson, under the deal those radicals strongarmed him into. And then the party has to find someone else to fill the position. That’s why Johnson’s completely at the mercy of Trump. It’s really pathetic how low the formerly GOP has sunk.
Wicker frrom Mississipi should be head of the house.
I understood that only the rule for requesting the “vacate the chair” motion had changed. Before: the majority of a party, now: 1 elected official. Eviction always requires a simple majority. Otherwise it would be impossible to keep a president in place.
Sure, Johnson can stay as a Representative, but he would lose the Speaker position. It’s a crazy rule that can make the Republican caucus leaderless, but Trumpists don’t care about the breakdown of legislative proceedings. They’re a mob of unhinged radicals.
Sweden’s best contribution is still to come, once they donate or sell Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. Armed with the long range Meteor missiles and operating from improvised bases near the front, they would help to defend against Russian missile and glide bomb attacks. Here’s hoping this will happen this year.
Sweden can send anything they want. They are not in NATO yet, so there are no restrictions on them whatsoever.
The government demands Nato membership before sending Gripens. Hungary is standing on the brake.
Isn’t it always Hungary?
Btw, folks, reports like this one show that European support for Ukraine is increasing, while Russia is coming ever closer to scraping the bottom of its arms barrel, so I do believe that the outlook in the medium run is positive. However, Ukraine has to solve the urgent shortage of ammunition and manpower to get on a more stable footing again. Nato members need to do their part to get over the setback in the US and fill the void, by any means necessary. This ain’t the time for being pedantic about contracts (like about the Canadian surplus rockets), send everything that can kill RuSSians to the front now!