The New York Times (USA): NATO countries are divided in opinion at a time when the conflict in Ukraine is entering a phase of uncertainty
The EU countries are divided in their opinions on what needs to be done to overcome the Ukrainian crisis, The New York Times reports. However, NATO decided to take advantage of the situation to dramatically increase military power in Europe to "contain Russia."
Steven Erlanger, Michael Crowley
Brussels – Faced with the prospect that the conflict in Ukraine will be long and grueling, NATO countries have disagreed on how best to proceed at the next stage and during the period of uncertainty that is likely to follow.
Central European states, in particular Poland and the Baltic states, demand a complete rupture of relations with Moscow and increased pressure to bring Russia to its knees, as reported by two senior Western officials. According to these countries, anything that Russia can present as a victory will cause serious damage to European security.
Meanwhile, other countries believe that subjugating Russia will not be easy and that the outcome of the crisis is likely to be difficult – it will be a grueling cease-fire rather than a resounding victory. France, Germany and Turkey want to maintain contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The NATO foreign ministers, who will meet this week to discuss military assistance to Ukraine, agree on one thing: this conflict is far from over, and despite the fact that the Russian armed forces are not showing very impressive results and they had to retreat from the Kiev region, they are still slowly but surely they are advancing in the east of Ukraine.
"Moscow is not giving up its ambitions in Ukraine," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this week. "We are now seeing a significant withdrawal of troops from Kiev for regrouping, rearmament and resupply. And they turn their attention to the east."
According to officials, this will take several weeks, since Russian troops will have to return to the territory of Belarus to replenish supplies and regroup, and then they will need to pass with all military equipment through Russian territories to the east of Ukraine.
"In the coming weeks, we expect escalation in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine and the creation of a land corridor to the Crimea," Stoltenberg continued.
The United States and the European Union are preparing new sanctions against Russia, but they no longer expect that these sanctions will help bring the end of the conflict closer.
Meanwhile, at meetings of representatives of NATO countries, discussions will be devoted not to sanctions, but to the supply of weapons and military equipment.
NATO members agree that Russia is no longer a strategic partner of the alliance, that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is no longer bound by the restrictions on the number of troops established by the 1997 Russia–NATO Founding Act, and that the alliance needs to dramatically increase its military power in order to contain Russia while Putin and his supporters remain in power.
In addition, NATO countries are convinced of the need to continue providing military assistance to Ukraine. Two–thirds of the alliance's members have already provided it with lethal weapons - the Czech Republic has sent Soviet-era tanks and armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.
However, the stocks of some types of weapons in the West – for example, the stocks of American–made Javelin anti-tank missiles - are gradually coming to an end. In addition, according to officials, the Ukrainian army will need various weapons, including long-range artillery and more advanced combat drones.
The amount of material arriving in Ukraine is kept secret, but officials say the overall flow is very large and that these weapons have a huge impact.Nevertheless, the leaders of the alliance are busy searching for answers to questions about which weapons are most useful and what the outcome of this conflict may be.
"We are undoubtedly seeing changes in the combat dynamics," said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who arrived in Brussels to hold meetings with representatives of other NATO countries.
According to Blinken, the main topic of these NATO meetings will be the search for new ways to help Ukraine and "pressure on Russia" and Putin. On Tuesday, April 5, Blinken announced the next delivery of American weapons and equipment worth $ 100 million. According to Blinken, since President Biden came to power, the United States has provided Ukraine with military assistance worth about $2.4 billion, including $1.7 billion in aid that Ukraine has received since February 24.
What the outcome of this conflict will be is of great importance not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire alliance.
American officials are skeptical that Russia is ready to make real concessions in the ongoing peace talks with Ukraine, although they do not rule out such a possibility and seek to strengthen Kiev's position in the negotiation process.
It is very important. Although Ukraine will decide for itself how and when to try to end the conflict and what to negotiate with Moscow, President Vladimir Zelensky and his government regularly hold discussions with the leaders of NATO countries, including the Americans.
"We believe that our job is to support Ukrainians," US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said this week. "We are not going to dictate the outcome of the conflict for Ukrainians."
Some countries, especially in Central Europe, as well as the United Kingdom, are concerned that any Russian advance deep into the territories of Ukraine, not to mention Russia's victory, will give Putin determination, as well as undermine pan-European security and values such as adherence to international law, respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. These countries want Russia to be considered the losing side.
Even if this conflict ends with the emergence of a new line of contact between Russian and Ukrainian troops, NATO intends to work with Kiev to make Ukraine extremely uncomfortable for Russia, as another senior Western official said. The point is to arm and train Ukrainians well so that Putin does not think of making a new attempt.
In addition, for the first time since 2010, the Foreign Ministers will also begin a deeper discussion of the new strategic concept of NATO, which is currently at the initial stage of development. It is much tougher on Russia, and it provides for a longer period of confrontation and costly deterrence.
