The Secretary General of NATO, the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, ruled out this Sunday (01.30.2022) that the Atlantic Alliance will send combat troops on the ground to Ukraine if Russia launches an offensive on the country, arguing that Kiev is not a member of the military agreement. The statements were given to the British broadcaster BBC.
“Ukraine is not a NATO ally,” Stoltenberg said, stressing that the “100 percent security guarantee that an attack on an ally will trigger an Alliance-wide response” does not apply to Kiev. “We have no plans to deploy combat troops in Ukraine,” the secretary general stressed. “There are huge differences between being a member of NATO and being a strong and valuable ally like Ukraine, there is no doubt about that,” he said.
Asked if he envisages any scenario in which NATO soldiers could be seen clashing in Ukraine against Russian troops, Stoltenberg again replied “no.” “We are focusing on offering support to Ukraine. Helping it exercise its right to self-defense. At the same time, we are sending a message to Russia that we will impose severe sanctions if it once again uses force against Ukraine,” he explained.
UK: help yes, soldiers no
The Norwegian politician stated that there is “no certainty about the intentions” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but warned of the worrying dispatch of tens of thousands of soldiers to the Ukrainian border, the use of “very aggressive rhetoric” by Moscow, as well as the precedents of the “use of force” against Ukraine. Despite everything, he advocated a diplomatic solution to the tensions and urged the Kremlin to de-escalate the conflict.
“The paradox is that Putin entered Ukraine in 2014 because they did not like to have NATO close to their borders. But the more aggressive they are, the more NATO allies will move closer to the borders and increase their presence in the eastern part. of the Alliance,” said the Secretary General.
British Foreign Minister Liz Truss expressed herself in similar terms, declaring that it was “very unlikely” that British soldiers would be deployed to fight alongside Ukrainian troops in the event of a Russian invasion, and that the path was “make sure the Ukrainian forces get all the support we can give them.” He also said it was “highly likely” that Russia is preparing an attack on its neighbor.
