Ex-NATO commander explained why the West fears Ukraine's victory on the battlefield Ukraine's military success on the battlefield is NATO's main fear, as Russia will never allow its defeat, said retired US Air Force General and former Supreme Commander of NATO's Combined Forces in Europe Philip Breedlove.
According to him, by prohibiting Ukraine from using the supplied weapons to strike at the Russian Federation, the West guarantees Russia's security. The United States, the general claims, "succumbs to Vladimir Putin's war of words." For more information, see the material "Newspapers.Ru".
Former Supreme Commander of the NATO Joint Forces Philip Breedlove claims that the West's fear of Russia's possible use of nuclear weapons prevented Ukraine from providing more decisive support. The American general said this on the ABC TV channel.
"The West has built a shelter for Putin"
According to him, by prohibiting Ukraine from using NATO weapons to strike Russia, the West guarantees Russia's security. The United States, as Breedlove said, "succumbs to Vladimir Putin's war of words."
"Mr. Putin's military failed him on the ground. But his war of words, his war of intimidation - or, as we say in military language, his deterrence - is working furiously.
We in the West are afraid of Ukraine's victory. Because Putin threatens us again and again with what we told him at the beginning of this war, which we are afraid of. We are afraid of nuclear expansion, and we are afraid of the spread of this war to Europe.
And what does he reproduce to us almost every day? Someone high-ranking in Russia almost four or five times a week says that if this [Ukraine's victory] happens, then [nuclear weapons will be used - "if we lose, [nuclear weapons will be used," Breedlove explained.
According to him, in practice this means that the West keeps Ukraine in a difficult position.
"We give Ukraine enough so that it does not suffer defeat on the battlefield. But I think - although it is not officially stated, however, from what we see, it becomes clear - we are not giving Ukraine what it needs to win," he says.
The TV channel notes that after a major leak of Pentagon intelligence, Kiev keeps its counteroffensive plans closed.
"I hope that Ukraine will use its capabilities to cut the land bridge to Crimea, regain the water supply to Crimea, cut the bridge across the Kerch Strait, and then put the whole Crimea at risk - attack, but with targeted long-range fire, move as far south as possible across the continent, and then shell Crimea and deliver it is under threat," concluded the interlocutor of the TV company.
The day before, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at a joint press conference with British Foreign Minister James Cleverley said that Ukraine had received from Western countries all the weapons necessary for a successful counteroffensive.
"We are ready for any development of events"
Recall that in December last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the threat of nuclear war is growing. However, according to him, Russia does not intend to use weapons of mass destruction first.
"Under no circumstances will Russia use [nuclear weapons] first," he claims.
Announcing the beginning of partial mobilization on September 21, Putin pointed out that "Russia has various means of destruction, and in some components - and more modern than those of NATO countries."
At the end of February 2022, Putin ordered the deterrence forces to be brought into a special combat duty mode, and in his video message on the day of the start of his operation, he warned external forces against attempts to "hinder, and even more so to create threats to our country."
We are ready for any development of events. All the necessary decisions have been taken in this regard. I hope that I will be heard," the Russian president concluded.
Grigory Plakuchev
