War in Ukraine

Thank you, Joe!

A column by Henrik Müller

Without the massive presence of the USA, the whole of Europe would have been on fire long ago. This is shameful. We urgently need to learn lessons from this disaster: Either the EU comes together - or we go under.

Let's start with thanks: without continued U.S. help, Russia would have overrun Ukraine long ago. This is not an overly pessimistic scenario. Washington has resolutely helped Kiev build a powerful military since the Crimea annexation and the start of the Donbass war in 2014, while the Europeans - well, what...?

Even now, the U.S. contributes by far the largest share of Ukraine aid: America gives much more than all European states combined, as the Kiel Institute for the World Economy has determined. The three largest EU countries, Germany, France and Italy, are holding back.

All this is shameful. The EU urgently needs to learn lessons from this - when, if not now!

We have every reason to be grateful to America. Only the determined assistance of the U.S. government under President Joe Biden has so far prevented Vladimir Putin's sputtering offensive machine from encroaching on NATO territory. We Europeans have little to offer the aggressor. Not because we are actually too weak - Europe is economically strong, prosperous and attractive - but because we are fragmented. We are weakening ourselves.

The results are grotesque, not only in military terms, by the way. But in this field, the discrepancy is particularly tragic.

Russian internet trolls based in an old arms factory in St Petersburg are targeting world leaders online and spreading support for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the British government has said, citing research.

Online operatives were found to be ordering followers to target western media outlets and politicians, according to research funded by the UK government, which plans to share it with major online platforms and other governments.

The troll factory is suspected to be linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Internet Research Agency accused of meddling in the 2016 election that saw Donald Trump win the presidency. The headquarters is allegedly located in rented space in St Petersburg’s Arsenal Machine-building Factory, a company that manufactures military equipment and technology.

The study details how the Russian president’s regime is trying to manipulate public opinion on social media, as well as in the comments sections of major media outlets.

Researchers say the group seems to have learned from the tactics used by QAnon conspiracy theorists and from the Islamic State terror group.

The troll farm is said to recruit and hire salaried workers openly, justifying the work as "patriotic activity" in support of the "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Recent threats made by Russian officials about retaliation against countries interfering in Ukraine may serve a dual purpose of warning off Western powers while also building favor among Russian citizens should a full conflict with NATO break out, according to experts.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a Wednesday address that any countries who "create a strategic threat to Russia" during its war in Ukraine can expect "retaliatory strikes" that would be "lightning-fast."

Zhukov said if Western countries do brush off Putin's threats, the Russian leader may feel pressured into taking more decisive action.

"There is a general impression in Europe and the U.S. that Russia's threats of retaliation are hollow," he said. "I do think it's more than likely that Russia will eventually feel compelled to conduct some kinetic action against NATO countries, if only to make its threats of retaliation appear more credible."