The Day Europe Told Trump to Shove It

Macron Rejects the Surrender of Crimea, Ukraine Launches Its First AWACS, and America’s Word Becomes Worthless

On April 22, 2025, sometime during the day, an unusual aircraft began circling above Lviv — one of Ukraine’s largest western cities, not far from the Polish border. The flight path was erratic, looping repeatedly. Open-source flight trackers soon identified the aircraft: a Sweden-made Saab 340 AEW&C, an airborne early warning and control (AWACS) platform. The same type Sweden had pledged to deliver to Ukraine — two units, publicly promised.

That day, Ukraine was test-flying its first AWACS in active skies.

Ukrainian AWACS over Lviv

The timing was no coincidence. Ever since Donald Trump cut off U.S. intelligence support in early March, pressure had been mounting on NATO allies to step up. Eyes turned to Sweden — pointedly. Where were the aircraft? Stockholm responded with calm deflection: there was no delay on their end. Ukraine had simply requested additional modifications before the systems would be formally handed over.

Reports suggest that even the incoming F-16s are undergoing similar adjustments — modifications designed, if one had to guess, to reduce the American backstab potential built…