NATO has warned Russia against ‘further aggression’ in Ukraine.
The following statement was issued by the North Atlantic Council. The North Atlantic Council, by the way, is the principal political decision-making body of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
“We are gravely concerned by the substantial, unprovoked, and unjustified Russian military build-up on the borders of Ukraine in recent months, and reject the false Russian claims of Ukrainian and NATO provocations. We call on Russia to immediately de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities.
We reiterate our support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, and call on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine in accordance with its international obligations and commitments. We support the right of all countries to decide their own future and foreign policy free from outside interference.
NATO’s relationship with Ukraine is a matter only for Ukraine and the 30 NATO Allies. We firmly reject any attempts to divide Allied security.
We are ready for meaningful dialogue with Russia. We reiterate our long-standing invitation to Russia for a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in the near future. We are aware of Russia’s recent European security proposals. We are clear that any dialogue with Russia would have to proceed on the basis of reciprocity, address NATO’s concerns about Russia’s actions, be based on the core principles and foundational documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATO’s European Partners. Should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence-building measures. The OSCE is also a relevant platform.
NATO is a defensive Alliance and will continue to strive for peace, security, and stability in the whole of the Euro-Atlantic area. We stand united to defend and protect all Allies.”
Wallace said Ukraine shouldn’t expect that we will send troops; does that apply to the 600 that they said were ready for immediate deployment?
Wallace has no voice in this. Any response or non-response is NATO’s to decide upon, not a British SofS.
Russia doesn’t take the UK seriously from a military perspective. They know we’re a hollowed out shell and on our own we wouldn’t last beyond a couple of days. Just as well we’re part of NATO then huh….
If Russia didn’t its propaganda channels, which is to say all the news channels, wouldn’t constantly be talking about the U.K.. Though a deployment of only U.K. troops to Ukraine would be costly, Germany and France have also expressed potential military support.
For “U.K. troops” to deploy a parliamentary vote (full sitting of the House of Commons) will be needed. There will be no majority in favour of such a deployment – quite the opposite!
Not true. Deployments are made all the time and parliament is not involved. Indeed the UK can be taken to war using the royal pregrogative. In recent years PMs have consulted the house but it is not necessary. I think we are getting ahead of ourselves a little. An invasion of Ukraine would be a dumb move by Russia.
Dream on.
The British consitution has a range of unwritten rules dating back centuries which has served it well. It is also a democracy and consequently doesn’t go to war on a whim. Look it up if you wish.
No need for a vote to deploy troops anywhere, the PM has the same powers as the Queen!
😂
We don’t underestimate Russia and I expect Russia would not underestimate us. If (big IF) Russia is intent upon moving into Ukraine then they will have a big enough problem with the Ukrainian people and I am not sure the Russian people will be too happy to be at war. The costs will start to mount. I am not seeing a decent long term strategy for the Russians. NATO can respond militarily or simply wait for it to turn into a Russian nightware. Perhaps a little of both.Can Russia keep fighting in a country where they are not welcome when… Read more »
I think Russia massively overestimates its abilities and underestimates the UK.
That isn’t true in the slightest, since those decisions will be made by the militaries in NATO, chiefly the US, the U.K. and France. Stoltenberg has no power over any of these countries and certainly no control over their militaries. If Britain wanted to deploy without NATO, it would be its decision and the same to not deploy if NATO decided it would.
Any decisions of that magnitude will be made in the White House. It might not be officially, but there is no way the rest of NATO will deploy against Russia without the US.
Hence I put the US first; though with Biden at the helm we (I’m currently residing in the US) have started removing ourselves from European politics and a lot of us don’t appreciate it. Although the White House and Pentagon lead NATO, it is to a far lesser degree than ten years ago.
Personally i would stick two fingers up to Russia and say “Come on big boy, let’s see what you’ve got!”
But hell, what do i know! Oh yeah, I know the mentality inside out
But i would do it in a particular way…. which i won’t explain here.
Can we be sure Russia means to invade or simply continue to threaten to the point, the West becomes bored by the saber-rattling?
Well, it could be both, but one thing is for sure: pooty wants Kiev sooner or later.
Just watched the BBC1 News,their Moscow correspondent got a pretty robust response from the Russian Minister about the possibility of an Invasion – personally i think they are not bluffing,January 14th is a date i have read for Military action to start.
Here on the other side of the Atlantic, the US State Dept. (Foreign Office) has issued a notice advising Americans not to travel to Ukraine due to Russia’s planning for “significant military action against Ukraine.” Quite the statement.
Where in the States are you?
I doubt the Kremlin would hint at a date, as they have always worked on the element of surprise. As with Hitler, Putin may get his way but the domino effect has to end somewhere? European defence budgets will go into overdrive if Ukraine falls, as there will be an immediate impact on NATO and its member’s commitments. Up to now, Europe (excluding the UK) has taken a leisurely approach to defence spending, and openly mocked Trump when he demanded an increased effort. Simply put, if Ukraine is lost, nowhere in that region is safe, and crippling economic sanctions on… Read more »
I think this is just mind games but with a serious purpose. He’ll go to the edge then pull back like he has before. Everytime he does his little helpers here and elsewhere will claim it’s all ‘anti-russian propaganda’ Until we all get blase about it and stop reacting. Then and only then will there be a serious chance of invasion. So what should we do ? What we are doing train and arm the Ukrainians to raise the price if he ever should give the green light.
Well if Putin did invade it will cost him and whos to say the Russian people will all be thrilled with losing troops.
Yep think that’s why he hasn’t invaded already.
The South Ossetia/Crimea situations show an M.O. of stealthy local support for destabilization before a swift invasion. This latest build up doesn’t match that. It’s too public and choreographed.
‘Little green men’ have run there course. Everyone knows that game now. If he does go into Ukraine it’ll be different. Don’t know what but it won’t be that.
In terms of Russian security who the hell would want to invade Russia? They are acting like 5 yr olds – likewise the Chinese. Reminds me of the ‘Night Garden’ the children’s TV programme.
I think it’s getting to the point that Mr Putin will find it hard to back down and the continued invasion of the Ukraine I say continued as they have already taken the Crimea and the Eastern states will continue at a pace sooner than we think as the longer he waits the more time the West gets to formulate a response. I believe he will what to take all the ground up to and including the river Dneiper cutting the Ukraine in half. Hopefully I am wrong we can only see in the next week or so.
What really boggles the mind is that all this has been coming for a very long time. Yet here we are decreasing numbers of, well, everything. And we aren’t properly equipping what’s already in place. We seem to be living for future conflicts, but the conflicts are taking place here and now. Actually, it doesn’t boggle the mind… when looking at who’s supposedly in charge. And when i say we, i don’t mean us. Defence budget needs upping now and significantly, and the increase needs to go on equipping what we have now properly. Off the shelf stuff that come… Read more »
Right now Turkey would probably vito any action.
People forget the huge losses of people and the systematic destruction of their country that leads Russians to the fear they have of the west. All former Warpac countries bordering Russia should have been made into a buffer zone with dual EEC and Russian trading arrangements and forces non-aligned all wrapped up in a comprehensive treaty. Instead Russia has NATO on their borders and tension which could easily escalate because Putin has nowhere else to go in order to detract from the poverty and corruption of the Russian system.
All the former WP countries wanted to join Nato because they had seen at first hand what life is like under the Russian jack boot so do not want to go back to having Russia dictate what they may or may not do.
And look what we have now as a result its happening anyway
Yeh you are right, the politicians in the West need collectively to grow a set, and stand up to Mr Putin and Mr Xi but after 30 odd years of slash and burn to the armed forces we have no plan B when the sanctions do not work. But the ex WP countries know what is coming and so will be leading the fight back.
He has forgotten that China is his well armed neighbour, much more so than Ukraine. Which would like to take some chunks out of Russia!
I think they will use each other for cover one will annex the Ukraine and the other will annex Taiwan but they might start looking at each other as a rival after that.
The same applies the other way round, that Russia is a threat to any country that has borders with it, so it should give up some of its territory, into buffer states to shield the ex-Warpac countries, because obviously
it is a threat to them.
It makes No difference how far Russia is away, it can still be attacked from half way across the world, and invaded by the USA or China from the other half of the World.
So grow up Mr Putin!
“…with dual EEC and Russian trading arrangements…”
The price of that deal, would be FREE GAS for Europe for Good! And would you trust them leaving the gas taps on??
HIGHLY UNLIKELY!
I wonder if the uncertainty around Russian intentions will cause a re think on the early retirement of the T1 Typhoons. Having a number of modern airframes that can ‘only’ do air to air combat might come in handy should the Northern horizon suddenly become inundated with Backfire, Bear and Blackjack bombers next year…..
Just interested… does anyone here really care about what happens to Ukraine or is more about just not letting Putin get his own way?
Ukraine, from the little I know about it, is an even more corrupt country than Russia, and as much as I would like it to remain sovereign, I don’t think it should ever become part of NATO or that we should become too closely associated with it.
That said, I have met some very friendly Ukrainians.
I agree, people should decide and not be forced, but as I said, Ukraine is apparently even more corrupt than Russia, and we all know how things go down in Russia. Ukraine in NATO is a no go at present, or any time in the near or even distant future, as, for one, it would mean a very corrupt state being part of NATO. Now, it can be argued that the US, Turkey, the UK and so on are hardly squeaky clean themselves, but none of these states have ever been so closely aligned with Russia as Ukraine. Ukraine was… Read more »
I can’t help but think that if Ukraine is corrupt as you say its down to its previous links with Russia. Either way Russia knows the West and NATO is weak and drunk on social media and Black Fridays 😉
Don’t forget the Russian proliferation of false news & attempts to subvert elections. If they try it on against the UK & USA etc, how much more will they use every trick to try to screw Ukraine polls. Others have said Russia & Ukraine must be v close because they’re both Slav nations. Poland is also a Slav nation but historically has deep emnity with Russia. I’d love to see Russia getting on well with its neighbours, but that requires being respectful & neighbourly. Russia has proved to most of its ex-satalites it is a tyrant & bully. Now it… Read more »
Massive consequences?????? 😂 😂 😂 😂