– Send “European soldiers” to the fight against Vladimir Putin – Dagsavisen

In a text in the well-respected journal Foreign Affairs, Phillips O’Brien, Jahara Matisek and Alex Crowther claim that Russia and President Putin “cannot afford” to fight against several European countries at the same time. Thus, European forces in Ukraine will not lead to a further escalation from Russia, they believe.

– A European-style response in Ukraine will also counter propaganda from the Kremlin that the US through NATO is trying to hit Russia, the trio write. They believe that both forces with support functions and pure combat forces should be considered from the European side.

O’Brien is a historian and professor of strategic studies at Scotland’s University of St. Andrews, Matisek is a lieutenant colonel and professor at the US Naval War College and Crowther is a retired colonel and postdoctoral fellow at The Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).

Keeps the US out

The narrative that Nato is an aggressor in the Ukraine war is popular in several places in the world, the trio writes. But if Europe, and not NATO, sends in forces, it could isolate the Russians both economically and diplomatically, they believe.

– And should European forces be killed in Ukraine, the United States will not be drawn in. Russia’s adversary will then not be NATO, but a coalition of European countries standing up to Russian imperialism, the trio explains, adding that Ukraine is “doing its best, but needs more help”.

O’Brien, Matisek and Crowther also believe that Russia has limited options for further escalation in the war, and that Europe must stand up to Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin’s constant “saber rattling about nuclear war”.

But it is unlikely that the three will get their way, Russia expert Mark Galeotti is to be believed.

– Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to control the choices we make, I see that point. But if European countries send forces into Ukraine, then we escalate our own confrontation with the Russians, says Galeotti to Dagsavisen about the move.

Galeotti is a historian, researcher and author, and heads the consulting firm Mayak Intelligence. On Wednesday, he met Dagsavisen on the occasion of a visit to Oslo.

The Briton is considered one of the world’s leading experts on international crime and security policy, with Russia as a special field. Among other things, he has written books such as “A Short History Of Russia”, “We Need To Talk About Putin” and “Putin’s Wars – From Chechnya to Ukraine”.

Also read: General: – Now we have three choices. Only one of them can stop Putin

– Vladimir Putin has alternatives

– And the fact is that Putin still has options other than nuclear weapons that he can use to escalate further. For example, he can theoretically initiate a new mobilization, or he can try to hit targets in Europe in other ways (than with nuclear weapons, journ.anm.), says the Briton.

Thus, he does not see the Americans’ proposal as a likely scenario.

– And that despite the move from Emmanuel Macron, says Galeotti.

He refers to French President Macron, who has not ruled out that Western soldiers could be sent to Ukraine. However, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has dismissed this as a possibility.

Also read: Russia presses on while Ukraine waits for new weapons

Will become a target for Russia

But Macron’s statements probably had more to do with French politics than anything else, Galeotti believes.

– So I think what O’Brien, Matisek and Crowther suggest is neither likely nor particularly helpful. Because let’s be honest, a soldier is a soldier even if he is not at the front line, says the Briton.

If one imagines a situation where European forces, for example, protect an air defense installation in Ukraine, then these will still be considered a legitimate target by Russia, the Briton believes.

– And if these forces are a target, they can also be killed. I am not convinced that Europe is ready for it. I think there are several countries in Europe that will not be ready to send their own soldiers home in coffins, says Galeotti.

Also read: German defense halt: – Then Russia can attack NATO

Also read: Lavrov’s jab at the West: – You don’t understand

Also read: Orban’s “dangerous” challenge: – A disruptive element

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Facts about Vladimir Putin

• Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, on October 7, 1952.
• Former KGB agent. In 1998, he became head of the Russian security service FSB.
• In 1999, was appointed prime minister by President Boris Yeltsin. When Yeltsin stepped down on 31 December 1999, Putin became acting president.
• Was formally elected president in 2000 and re-elected for another four-year term in 2004.
• In 2008 he became Prime Minister under President Dmitry Medvedev. According to the constitution, Russian presidents could not serve for more than two consecutive terms.
• In March 2012, he was again elected president for six new years.
• In 2018, Putin was re-elected for a new six-year term with almost 77 percent of the vote, according to the official results.
• A constitutional amendment in 2020 enabled Putin to remain in power until 2036.
• In February 2022, Putin invaded Ukraine with large military forces.
• In March this year, Putin was re-elected as president with at least 87 percent of the vote after all genuine opposition candidates were barred from the election.

(Sources: NTB, AFP, The New York Times)

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