NATO’s commitment to Ukraine was emphasized by Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chair of NATO’s military committee, in a recent interview. He stated that the alliance “will stand with Ukraine up to the day in which we will have them sitting around the table for a long-lasting peace.” Admiral Dragone characterized the ongoing conflict as bogged down and suggested it might be time for discussions, citing the loss of lives as a significant concern.
He noted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 had led to the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, interpreting this as a strategic setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite some advances by Russian forces, he asserted that Putin would not achieve a friendly government in Ukraine as he had in Belarus.
When asked about European nations’ willingness to continue supporting Ukraine, Admiral Dragone expressed confidence that they would. He indicated that European countries had recognized the need to take charge of their own defense and referred to a decision made by NATO members in June to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. This decision followed calls from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
In response to Russia’s announcements regarding new long-range, nuclear-powered weapons, Admiral Dragone downplayed the threat, affirming NATO’s status as a defensive nuclear alliance. He stated, “We are not threatened by them; we are just ready to defend our 32 nations and our one billion people.”
He also addressed the potential for future conflicts, particularly in the Baltic states, emphasizing that any such attack would invoke Article 5, which considers an attack on one member as an attack on all. Admiral Dragone confirmed that the U.S. remains committed to this principle.
Among NATO’s current defense priorities, air defense is paramount, driven by recent incursions of Russian drones into Poland and Romania. Plans to activate an air defense system on NATO’s eastern borders are in progress, with Admiral Dragone noting that the alliance is working on integrating existing air defense capabilities. While concerns about member support for Ukraine persist, he remained optimistic about NATO’s cohesion and strength.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxng7kxnp9o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss