Ukrainian troops ride a tank in eastern Ukraine, December 29, 2022 (Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty)
UPDATE 1805 GMT:
I spoke with Australia’s ABC News on Thursday about the ramifications of tanks to Ukraine.
Even without the tanks, Ukraine made impressive gains last autumn.
Now what you’re seeing is a turn in the war — not immediately but gradually — towards the defeat of Vladimir Putin.
I also discussed President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s drive against corruption in Ukraine, with the removal or resignation of 20 senior officials in 48 hours, and the criminal charges against a former FBI official working for the sanctioned Russian businessman — and figure in the Trump-Russia scandal — Oleg Deripaska.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: I joined Dublin NewsTalk’s Pat Kenny Show and BBC West Midlands on Wednesday to analyze the significance of international commitments — including from Germany and the US — of battle tanks to Ukraine.
I explain the details of the supply, including the number of tanks and when they may appear on the battlefield; the politics around the decision; and why this is likely to culminate — not soon but eventually — in the defeat of Vladimir Putin and his invasion.
See also Ukraine War, Day 337: “Only the Beginning” — Tanks to Kyiv
Listen to Pat Kenny Show from 2:25.45
We also discuss the threats of retaliation from Putin and Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev and why they should not reverse this decision:
When you defend yourself against a bully and hit him in the face, he screams even louder.
You either help defend Ukraine and enable it to survive or you throw up your hands in resignation.
Personally, I think the first option is the way to go.
