With the White House and Ukraine rejecting 69-year-old President Vladimir Putin conditions for ceasefire, growing concerns are raised about a possible Russian attack on a NATO facility. When Putin hit March 12 a military base used by NATO near the Polish border, fears raised about invoking NATO’s Article 5, forcing NATO to join the Ukraine conflict. President Joe Biden, 79, has insisted that he won’t put boots on the ground in Ukraine, despite decrying Russian atrocities including the possible use of chemical weapons. Ukraine has tried to join NATO for eight years, each time rejected by NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, largely because he doesn’t want NATO fighting the Russian Federation. Biden too said he doesn’t want to fight the Russian Federation, knowing it could trigger WW III, a new world war on the European Continent.
When you consider the reasons given by Biden why he won’t honor Ukraine’s 44-year-old President Volodymyr Zelnesky’s request for a no-fly-zone, the excuse given is that Ukraine is not a NATO member. Zelensky has argued daily that without closing Ukraine’s skies, the conflict could easily spread to NATO countries, triggering Article 5, requiring a unified NATO response. Zelensky doesn’t accept NATO’s excuses because since taking office May 20, 2019, Zelensky has wanted NATO to fight Ukraine’s battle with the Russian Federation. Zelensky knew asking for NATO membership was a red flag for Putin. So instead of getting membership, Biden decided to supply Ukraine with NATO advisers and a variety of lethal weapons, also antagonizing Putin. So when Biden says the Ukraine War was “unprovoked and Unjustified,” Putn warned Biden Dec. 24, 2021.
Putin told Biden Dec. 24, 2021 that if he didn’t sit down a renegotiate security arrangement for Ukraine and Eastern Europe, he would take “military-technical measures,” something echoed by his 72-year-old Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Biden told Putin his requests were “non-starters,” refusing for three months to respond to Putin’s requests. On Feb. 24, Putin invaded Ukraine, expanding the operation to the whole country. Putin concluded that Ukraine had become a puppet U.S. state, requiring Russia to demilitarize the country. No Western country accepts Putin’s rationale for the invasion, accusing him of committing war crimes, hitting civilian dwellings. Biden and Zelensky have rejected Putin’s ceasefire conditions, despite the carnage and destruction around Ukraine. Whether admitted to or not, the war could be over in a heartbeat.
U.S. media has pressed White House press secretary Jen Psaki under what conditions the White House would change gears and send troops to Ukraine. Psaki repeats Biden’s talking points that the U.S. is not prepared to start WW III, something that could involve nuclear weapons. Psaki insists that Putin is committing war crimes in Ukraine, prompting crippling economic sanctions but not stopping his assault on the country. White House pool reporters asked Psaki today whether the President still had any more ways to deter Putin’s aggression without sending troops or enforcing a no-fly-zone. Psaki was ambiguous, realizing that her statements were telegraphed around the planet. Biden threatened Putin for months about hitting Russia with the most punitive sanctions ever but it didn’t deter him from invading Feb. 24. Reporters questioned whether the U.S. has more deterrence.
Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan have all threatened Putin for months about invading Ukraine. All the U.S threats most likely pushed Putin over the edge, deciding to invade. Putin wanted to resolve the issue diplomatically but the White House refused to negotiate with him, telling him his ideas were “non-starters.” Calling the Ukraine War “unprovoked and unjustified,” Biden knows that he most certainly did provoke Putin into invading Ukraine. Now the press wants to know why the U.S. won’t commit U.S. troops or enforce a “no-fly-zone.” Knowing that he wouldn’t intervene to protect Ukraine, Biden should not have pushed Putin to the brink, endangering war on the European Continent. Now Psaki fields questions from the press about the ongoing war, widespread destruction and carnage to Ukraine’s civilian population.
Biden announced an additional $200 million in military aid to Ukraine, something Putin said would be subject to attacks by the Russian military. Pentagon officials refused to supply Ukraine with Polish MIG-19 floggers because the U.S. and Poland didn’t want Russian retaliating for the arms shipments. U.S. officials hope they can cryptically supply Ukraine with more lethal weapons from U.S. weapons depots. But if Putin finds out that Biden deliberately supplies more lethal weapons, Putin could target Pentagon supply chains. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby talks about NATO’s Article 5 but no one in NATO wants the provision triggered because they don’t want to battle the Russian Federation. Stoltenberg is scheduled to retire later this year. Whether admitted to or not, the White House could end the conflict in a heartbeat if they see no end in sight.
