/ world today news/ Discussions continue in the West about options for sending troops to Ukraine in the event of the defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This time, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO Secretary General and partner in Zelensky’s office, spoke about the likelihood of such a scenario. What countries can we talk about and what is the probability that they will actually send troops to Ukraine?
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that the North Atlantic Alliance may want to send troops to Ukraine. He allowed this possibility on the condition that NATO member states, including the US, refuse to provide Kiev with real “security guarantees” at the upcoming summit of the Alliance in Vilnius.
He is confident that in this case the Baltic countries and Poland can initiate the creation of a “coalition of those willing” to send troops to Ukraine. Meanwhile, “Politico”, citing NATO representatives, writes that Western countries are not yet ready to provide Kiev with the security guarantees that Ukraine requires.
In turn, Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov drew attention to the fact that former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who allowed the possibility of introducing troops from the Baltic countries and Poland into Ukraine, did not explain the most important thing: whether the Alliance would protect these troops.
Pushkov also asked whether the introduced troops will be on the territory of Ukraine at their own risk and responsibility, and the USA and the EU will wash their hands because Ukraine is not a member of NATO. For the “Eastern Europeans rushing into battle”, Pushkov noted, this is a key issue, since, the senator is convinced, they will not take a single step without NATO.
His colleague, Senator Andrey Klimov, said the former secretary general’s idea was very dangerous, but clearly NATO did not have many other options. “I have written more than once that the next reserve of “cannon fodder” in the raging struggle with Russia can be the countries of Eastern Europe, which the USA has never regretted,” Klimov said on this occasion.
The senator suggested that for this purpose they could create some sort of “quasi-NATO alliance” that would actually have nothing to do with NATO. But, Klimov noted, this would help avoid direct war between the West and Russia.
It should be noted that for more than a year, some NATO countries have been considering alternative ways to introduce their troops to Ukraine, so as not to use the mechanisms of the North Atlantic Alliance. Most often, this topic is thought about in the leadership of Poland. It is known that several scenarios for the development of the conflict are being considered in Warsaw.
The minimum agenda is to gain control over Lviv and western Ukraine. The program at most is control over most of Ukraine by revising the results of the Pereyaslav Rada and creating a confederation in the style of the Union of Lublin. In addition, Poland is close to beginning to absorb Ukraine’s energy system and take control of its railways.
Moreover, its neighbors, such as Hungary, are well aware of Poland’s insane plans. In addition, Budapest fears that other EU countries may also move to a direct military confrontation with Russia. Another neighbor of Ukraine – Romania – is also eyeing some of Ukraine’s lands, in particular – Bukovina. However, at the official level, such plans for its annexation have not yet been announced.
“The Poles, of course, are not very smart, but they will not take the kind of actions that former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen is talking about. After all, it is obvious that there will be no support from the Alliance. Even now in Poland and the Baltic countries, they are guaranteed to understand that there is no reason for the US to cover for them if they send troops to Ukraine,” said Timofey Bordachev, program director of the Valdai club.
“Furthermore, the Americans avoid any risks associated with a direct confrontation with Russia. And if Ukraine does not officially receive an invitation from NATO, then the Alliance will not protect such “coalitions of the willing” either. Everyone takes care of their own skin,” he said.
“Rasmussen himself is an ordinary Danish politician. Intellectually, in general, it is no different from the Baltic states or the Finns. A typical bigot and fierce Russophobe. Let me remind you that the population of Denmark is about five million people, which is less than those living in St. Petersburg, “the interlocutor claimed.
“Perhaps Rasmussen wanted to somehow cheer up Ukraine with such words, to get his name back in the media, but nothing happened. You can no longer deceive Ukrainians with such stories, everything is measured by completely different categories for them,” Bordachev concluded.
Senator Konstantin Dolgov has a slightly different point of view. According to him, Poland and the Baltic countries can expand their unofficial presence in Ukraine.
“Of course, the introduction of a NATO contingent is the shortest path to direct war. And although Washington is pushing other countries to escalate tensions with the Russian Federation, I don’t think the members of the organization will take such a risky step,” the source said.
“Most likely, it is about the participation of mercenaries from the countries of the Alliance in the military actions in Ukraine. Such a process has already been launched, but Eastern Europe, in particular the Baltic states and Poland, could expand their own “unofficial” presence in the conflict zone,” Dolgov admits.
On the other hand, experts also recall that from 2022, Rasmussen, together with Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, leads an international advisory group that develops options for Ukraine’s security guarantees from its Western European allies. And for this reason, Rasmussen can irresponsibly “accuse” some NATO countries of plans to introduce a contingent, thereby replacing Poland.
“Rasmussen’s statements are indeed characterized by complete irresponsibility. But in fact, the entry of Polish troops into Ukraine is already a fact. We know about their participation, albeit under the guise of mercenaries, in attacks on the territory of the Belgorod Region, as well as in the regions of the Zaporozhye Region. Poland is a full participant in the conflict. The question is only the extent of Warsaw’s participation in it,” said Alexander Artamonov, a military expert and specialist in the armies of NATO countries.
“At the same time, the official entry of Poland into the conflict outside the NATO mechanisms can change the situation on the battlefield quantitatively, but not qualitatively. The only thing worth paying attention to is the likelihood that Polish aviation will participate in the conflict. Although the Alliance is unlikely to allow Warsaw to use aviation from its territory, it cannot be ruled out,” added the expert.
“As for the Baltic countries, they can send 10-15 thousand soldiers to Ukraine, strengthening the Armed Forces. All this diverges from Moscow’s intention to minimize mutual losses and destruction. What should we do in such a case? To destroy all types of communications between Western Ukraine and Poland to cut off the supply of fighters and equipment from Eastern Europe,” the analyst concludes.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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