As tens of thousands of Russian troops mass along the border, the Western world is alarmed. Europe has not faced a crisis like this since the days of the Cold War.
NATO has sent additional ships and fighter jets to the region and the US has put 8,500 troops on heightened alert for a possible deployment to eastern Europe as tensions rise.
The US and its NATO allies are unlikely to send troops to defend Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion, according to former US diplomats and experts. The US would send troops to NATO countries in the region to deter Putin from expanding his territory beyond Ukraine.
Ivo Daalder, the former US ambassador to NATO, told Insider that he didn't think there was an escalation scenario that would lead to a confrontation between the US and Russia.
He said that anything is possible, but that the intent of the Biden administration and NATO is not to be involved in a conflict inside Ukraine. There is a big line drawn on direct military engagement of US troops or NATO troops.
According to some experts, the US could be dragged into the conflict at some point. A big move by Putin may signal a new era of heightened tensions between Russia and the West, potentially sparking new conflicts. Concerns that Russian aggression may prompt US responses like sanctions that are so drastic they back Putin in a corner raises the possibility that he may try to broaden his effort.
The deployment of US troops to Eastern Europe would be designed to send a signal to both our allies and the Russians that you cannot do the same thing with regard, said Daalder.
Russia has 100,000 troops on the border. If the US sent 8,500 troops to the region, it would not be meant to provide an offensive capability.
Steven Pifer, the US ambassador to Ukraine from 1998 to 2000, told Insider that he didn't see US and NATO troops taking military action against Russia. You would see a greater flow of military assistance to the Ukrainians.
In the past year alone, the US has given $650 million to Ukraine, which was annexed by Russia. The war between the rebels and the Ukrainian forces has killed over 13 thousand people and displaced 1.5 million. Javelin anti-tank missiles, small arms and ammunition, and patrol boats from the US are just some of the assistance that has been given to Ukraine over that period.
President Joe Biden said in December that the US isn't obligated to defend Ukraine if it is invaded by Russia. It is a sacred obligation. That obligation doesn't extend to... There is a country called Ukraine.
An attack on one member of the alliance is an attack on all. Following the 9/11 terror attacks in the US, it was only used once. Ukraine has been trying to join NATO for a long time. NATO's influence in Ukraine is one of the factors driving Russia's aggressive posture toward its neighbor.
It is a sensible move for the US and NATO to increase their footprint in Eastern Europe, as Russia has recently moved troops into a Russian ally.
Bolstering forces on NATO's eastern flank would assure nervous allies of NATO's commitment to their defense and remind Moscow that, while NATO will not intervene in Ukraine, it will defend NATO members.
Andrew Lohsen, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Insider that the idea of the US sending troops to protect the country against a Russian attack is off the table.
American support for the post-invasion of Ukraine would likely involve providing lethal military assistance. It would be hard to imagine severing ties with Ukraine at a time when they are paying the price for pursuing their dream of Western integration.
It would hurt US credibility if the US pulled back support for Ukraine.
Even though the US and its allies are unlikely to go to war on Ukraine's behalf, an invasion could still spark an era of more open confrontation between Russia and NATO.
We are entering into a time when conflicts are going to appear more often or could be more deadly because we no longer have agreed rules of what is acceptable behavior.
The US has been pushing for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but it has not been able to make much headway. The White House warns that Russian action against Ukraine could be imminent, even though the Kremlin says it has no plans to invade.
Russia has made demands for binding security guarantees, including barring Ukraine from ever joining NATO, that the US and alliance have dismissed as non-starters. If Russia invaded, the Biden administration warned it would face economic consequences that were not yet seen.
A worst case scenario in which the US and its allies respond to a Russian invasion with severe consequences would cause a level of instability within Russia, according to a former Central Intelligence Agency analyst.
It has become a conflict between the US and Russia in which Russia thinks we are trying to overthrow the regime.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
