Wow! Europe Sends Entire Artillery Arsenal + Tanks, AFVs, Jets, and Air Defense! - RFU News

[TexasTowelie]

Today, the biggest updates come from Ukraine.

Here, Europe has stepped up after Russians outright refused to make any deal on a ceasefire with Ukraine. After countless warnings, Europe is now rapidly arming Ukraine to the teeth, leaving Ukrainian armed forces better prepared for the now inevitable Russian summer offensive.

Recently, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, outright refused a ceasefire with Ukraine during a press conference with Russian media. He stated that they had tried to implement a ceasefire before but failed and will never do it again under any circumstances other than effective capitulation. Notably, according to President Zelensky and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe of which Russia is a member, Russia and Russian-backed separatists have violated all of the various 25 ceasefires signed since 2014.

Earlier, the European Union stated that if Russia were to refuse any form of a ceasefire or serious efforts to make peace, it would implement a massive sanctions package targeting Russian economic and military assets. The package includes additional sanctions against 189 new Russian shadow oil fleet vessels, bringing the total number of sanctioned vessels to 342. The 17th EU sanctions package also includes 31 new companies providing direct or indirect support to Russia’s military industry, such as those producing crucial technologies and chips needed for Russian missiles and other weapon systems.

More than just sanctions, European countries have significantly stepped up their game, investing large amounts into their own and Ukraine’s military industries. Ukraine has received over one billion euros from the EU, made from profits generated from frozen Russian assets, helping to support Ukraine’s economy and wartime industry as it continues to defend itself over 3 years into the full-scale Russian invasion.

With artillery playing a significant role in offensive and defensive operations, the UK has officially transferred their entire stockpile AS-90 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine. Additionally, French President Emanuel Macron has confirmed that all French caesar self-propelled howitzers produced this year will also be sent to Ukraine, translating to more than 200 French and British self-propelled guns in 2025 alone. Additionally, the French foreign minister added that all profits generated from frozen Russian assets seized by France will be used to produce spare parts and equipment for the caesar guns sent to Ukraine. This will ensure that Ukraine can continue to operate them, even through high fire rates. Lastly, over two-thirds of the EU’s promised 2 million artillery shells have already been gathered in the first six months of the year. Europe and the countries it sources these munitions from are outproducing even the previously set goals, indicating a positive trend for additional deliveries in the future. Regardless, the current deliveries of shells, high-tech artillery guns, and spare parts will ensure that Ukraine can maintain an extraordinarily high fire rate, as it prepares to defend against the inevitable Russian summer offensive.

To combat Russian air strike capabilities, Ukraine is set to receive all six promised Norwegian F-16 fighter jets by the end of 2025, and Belgium donating 2 F-sixteens to use as spare parts. Additionally, footage captured of a German train convoy shows at least 10 more Gepard self-propelled air defense systems en route to the Ukrainian border. As Germany has halted public disclosures of its military aid deliveries to Ukraine, the real number is likely much higher. These weapon systems will be able to combat Russian drone and missile strikes from the air and from the ground, continuously increasing Ukraine’s defensive capabilities as Russia aims to do the same with its number of strikes.

Overall, with Russia openly rejecting any ceasefire and continuing its offensive plans, Europe has responded with unprecedented unity and urgency, arming Ukraine at an increasing rate. Massive sanctions have been unleashed on Russia’s shadow oil fleet and military industry, while billions from frozen Russian assets are now flowing directly into Ukraine’s defense and wartime economy. Key European allies are transferring entire arsenals of self-propelled artillery, spare parts, and ammunition, ensuring Ukraine can sustain high fire rates and repel the inevitable Russian summer offensive. With further F-16 and Gepard deliveries underway, European production lines are increasingly geared toward Ukraine’s survival. The message is clear, if Russia won’t stop this war, Europe will make sure Ukraine can win it.

[NBachers]

1. Meanwhile, in the USA . . .

[Warpy]

7. Supposedly, our two bit Hitler has finally realized he's been played by Putin

and announcements have been made that aid to Ukraine will not only resume, it will vastly increase.

However, I don't see the marshmallow Congress moving this along, and they need to, like I don't see US aid flooding into Ukraine all of a sudden. It's just more hot air while Europe demonstrates their deep commitment to stopping Putin in his tracks without our help.

My guess is that the vast and powerful US will continue to dribble a little aid into Ukraine while announcing big aid packages. I suppose if someone mentioned to this administration that the only way they're going to benefit from the minerals deal with Ukraine is to scrape the occupying Russian army off the land first, we'd see a more reasonable level of aid dedicated to doing just that.

I hope somebody lights a stick of dynamite under Johnson's arase and gets him going on this but I don't know who's going to take that big a risk. Until and unless that hapens, all Ukraine is getting from us will be mostly promises.

[Doodley]

2. Trump must be fuming about this.

[Shipwack]

3. This is great news, but I worry.

Do those howitzers use a common shell? If yes, fantastic! If not, that’ll make complications down the line. Still, no matter what, it is better to have them than not. Plus the message it sends that Ukraine still had strong allies.

One thing I wonder, though. I have heard speculation that more recent US jets have a kill switch in their software. Are these US made planes going to become junk at an inopportune moment?

In the same vein, how much longer will the US supply parts required for routine maintenance (let alone repairs)? While our “closer” allies have supplies, what if we stop supplying them if they supply Ukraine?

[BurnDoubt]

4. Yep. How can you trust someone who has form for being untrustworthy?

A man who would betray his friends... if he had any. I've never heard anyone refer to him as "friend" (in public, anyway).

[Beastly Boy]

6. NATO countries follow standards that make their ammunition interchangeable across different designs.

It sounds like all countries contributing ammunition to Ukraine are NATO members, so it's safe to assume the same shells can be used interchangeably with different delivery systems regardless of where they came from.

[Shipwack]

11. Makes sense. I didn't think it through.

Thanks!

[Cha]

5. So Good to See... Mahalo, TexasT!

It's For All Our Democracy.. Countries are Stepping UP.

The USA's Government is in Putin's Pocket.

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. Any verifiable source other than a clickbait video?

I haven’t seen any reports from news services (Guardian, BBC, etc) about Europe going “all in” and sending it ENTIRE ARTILLERY ARSENAL to Ukraine.

You’d think that would make headlines around the world.

[TexasTowelie]

12. I believe that you are most concerned about these two paragraphs:

With artillery playing a significant role in offensive and defensive operations, the UK has officially transferred their entire stockpile AS-90 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine. Additionally, French President Emanuel Macron has confirmed that all French caesar self-propelled howitzers produced this year will also be sent to Ukraine, translating to more than 200 French and British self-propelled guns in 2025 alone. Additionally, the French foreign minister added that all profits generated from frozen Russian assets seized by France will be used to produce spare parts and equipment for the caesar guns sent to Ukraine. This will ensure that Ukraine can continue to operate them, even through high fire rates. Lastly, over two-thirds of the EU’s promised 2 million artillery shells have already been gathered in the first six months of the year. Europe and the countries it sources these munitions from are outproducing even the previously set goals, indicating a positive trend for additional deliveries in the future. Regardless, the current deliveries of shells, high-tech artillery guns, and spare parts will ensure that Ukraine can maintain an extraordinarily high fire rate, as it prepares to defend against the inevitable Russian summer offensive.

To combat Russian air strike capabilities, Ukraine is set to receive all six promised Norwegian F-16 fighter jets by the end of 2025, and Belgium donating 2 F-sixteens to use as spare parts. Additionally, footage captured of a German train convoy shows at least 10 more Gepard self-propelled air defense systems en route to the Ukrainian border. As Germany has halted public disclosures of its military aid deliveries to Ukraine, the real number is likely much higher. These weapon systems will be able to combat Russian drone and missile strikes from the air and from the ground, continuously increasing Ukraine’s defensive capabilities as Russia aims to do the same with its number of strikes.

I searched on each pertinent sentence and found numerous mentions in the media, although some sources are likely biased such as the Kyiv Post and Kyiv Independent. In the case of the UK AS-90 howitzer I saw a report on a UK military site indicating it was transferred earlier in the month. The news from France is also reported widely in the media. The news about the Norwegian F-16 fighter jets was released at the end of 2024.

Overall, I've been posting this blog for nearly 2.5 years and while it is biased, I've never found it to be inaccurate. It's up to debate as to whether that much fire power is called an "arsenal".

[Buddyzbuddy]

9. Hey, Republicans, this is what being on the side of the good guys looks like.

What happened to them? Whatever problems between Republicans and Democrats they could always agree on who the foreign enemy was.
It's easy to say it was the Felon, but the truth is more complex. I think the Republican's greed and ambition were the main motivators, and then methods of marketing were used to focus target of like minded, groups of voters. Then influncers like Putin and billionaires, foreign for the most part, used the Felon's natural ability to con people, the most gullible, racist, evil, ambitious groups of people known to man in numbers never imagined existed.

The sane Republicans saw this as an opportunity to reach goals that they've spent decades trying to achieve within reach, 4-8 years. Ending abortion, lower taxes, ending regulations. Ayn Rand's wet dream.
The problem is the Felon and some of those from his first administration learned from their mistakes. They have grown too powerful and removed most of the safeguards that the Founding Father's put in place. Other than the Legislative branch of our gov't, the Judicial Branch is all that is left, only 4 months in.

Europe and the rest of the free world are what stands between good and evil. The question is, will Europe be able to do for the world what we Americans did for it in WW2?

Let the good guys reign like America once did.

VETERANS OF AMERICA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THE GOOD GUYS!

[OverBurn]

10. I would send some money to the war effort against Russia if I knew it would do any good and get to where it needs to go.

[TexasTowelie]

13. While I was doing some follow up research on the OP, I stumbled upon UNITED24

which is the initiative of the President of Ukraine for fundraising and the site has collected over $1.4 billion. The URL is
https://u24.gov.ua/

The donations are tax deductible and I'm certain that the Ukrainian government knows best about how to allocate the funds if you decide to donate.

[OverBurn]

15. Thanks

[niyad]

14. Slava Ukraini. Thank you for the update.