Bombshell speech from US secretary of defence:
-stark strategic realities prevent US from being primarily focused on the security of Europe.
-US troops wont be part of post ceasefire deterrence force in Ukraine
-any nato forces that are sent wont have Nato Article 5 protection

— Dominic Waghorn (@DominicWaghorn) February 12, 2025

Hegseth cedes ground to Russia even before Ukraine negotiations begin;
– rules out return to 2014 borders.
– rules out Ukraine Nato membership
NB Putin has made no concessions whatsoever
Interesting negotiating tactics from Trump the dealmaker.

— Dominic Waghorn (@DominicWaghorn) February 12, 2025

The reality is the bear eighty year long underpinning of NATO by America is over today, Europe will have to raise her defence spending, this tempest was long foretold.

For the UK that means a mixture of tax increases and non defence spending cuts unless you want a repeat of the 1930s when appeasement was the policy of the day and rearmament was not popular, but will Starmer deliver this? I have my doubts due to the unpopularity it will cause.

Given Nigel Farage’s appeasement talk before the election Reform would try and exploit the situation if Starmer did the right thing which utterly depresses me.

Anybody who thought Trump over Biden/Harris would be better for Ukraine should permanently wear a dunce cap.

TSE