Can’t Defend Europe Alone Forever: Call for NATO Troops in Ukraine

2023-07-13 01:23:00

Call for NATO from Maischberger Selenskyj adviser: “Can’t defend Europe alone forever”

By Marko Schlichting on July 13, 2023 at 3:23 am

The military offensive in Ukraine is progressing more slowly than planned. As a reinforcement, the Ukrainian presidential adviser Rodnyansky indirectly calls for the deployment of NATO troops in his country. Europe is currently benefiting from the deaths of Ukrainian men, he criticizes Maischberger.

The NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius is over. An important topic was the possible NATO accession of Ukraine. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj had demanded this. NATO is considering Ukraine’s membership – but only following the war. Because as long as this runs, accession might possibly lead to the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine.

Apparently Kyiv is now demanding this. Because a statement by the Ukrainian presidential adviser Alexander Rodnyansky in an interview with talk show host Sandra Maischberger on ARD makes people sit up and take notice.

“Europe benefits”

According to Rodnyansky, the Russian attacks on Ukraine have lessened in intensity. The reason is logistical problems on the Russian side, and I no longer have the necessary amount of ammunition. “We have to use that to our advantage,” explains Rodnyansky. “People are still fighting in Ukraine. We will not stop. Nobody thinks regarding it. We have sacrificed too much for that. And we will continue to try to liberate our country.”

The adviser has mixed feelings regarding the rejection of Ukraine’s early entry into NATO. Then he turned offensively to the alliance partners: “It’s regarding not wanting to defend the European peace order alone forever,” emphasizes Rodnyansky. “We’re doing that with our blood right now. Our men are dying at the front, and Europe is benefiting from the fact that we’re holding off the aggressor. You don’t want to do it alone forever.”

The Russian war of attrition should not go on forever, Rodnyansky explains. NATO failed to send a corresponding signal to the Russian dictator. “We welcome NATO’s commitment to accept Ukraine following the war. But the war is not over yet.” In order to bring the war to an end, one party must win. For this, Ukraine needs further support, in the air and on the ground, and the Ukrainian border line from 1991 must be restored.

“You can not only weapons”

Human rights activist and FDP pioneer Gerhart Baum, who was Federal Minister of the Interior from 1978 to 1982, agrees with Rodnyansky. “NATO security guarantees should be to set limits for Russian President Putin. And if he doesn’t comply, push him back if necessary. That means not only supplying weapons, but doing more.”

The inviolable security of Ukraine cannot only be guaranteed by diplomatic measures and arms deliveries, says Baum. “Putin must be told very clearly: up to here and no further.”

Gerhart Baum was Federal Minister of the Interior from 1978 to 1982.

(Photo: WDR/Dirk Borm)

A little later, Baum gets applause when he declares: “The fate of Ukraine is the fate of the free world. If we give in here, we all lose.”

And Baum also has a clear view of the possible use of Russian nuclear weapons: “Yes, Putin has nuclear weapons, but the Chinese have forbidden him to use them. I would like to see him do it and what happens then.” A wish that some viewers probably cannot understand.

Russian system is collapsing

According to Rodnyansky, Ukraine’s rapid NATO membership would have had another effect: “That would have further fueled the political turbulence within Russia,” he says. The presidential adviser is convinced that the Russian system is falling apart.

He also thinks the guidelines for joining NATO following the war are wrong. Ukraine is already further in the development of democracy than today’s member Turkey. In countries like Romania there is currently more corruption.

Rodnyansky sees Ukraine’s current military offensive positively: Progress is being made, albeit slower than expected. “I hope that NATO will continue to stand firmly behind Ukraine, continue to supply weapons that we absolutely need, ammunition and also cluster munitions that can be important in this war.”

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