LOS ANGELELS.–Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, 65, admitted that NATO could have done more to arm Ukraine in the beginning of the war but was reluctant to get embroiled in a conflict with the Kremlin. “Now we provide military stuff to a war—then we could have provided military stuff to prevent the war,” said Stoltenberg to German newspaper FAS, assuming that arming Ukraine early on would have discouraged 71-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine Feb. 24, 2022. Stoltenberg’s reasoning was exactly the opposite of what prompted Putin to move 200,000 Russian troops into Ukraine. President Joe Biden, 81, rejected all of Putin’s overtures for several months to discuss new security arrangements in Ukraine. Putin was concerned about the U.S. arming Ukraine for an eventual war with the Russian Federation.
So when Stoltenberg says arming Ukraine before the invasion would have stopped Putin is the exact opposite of reality. Putin told Biden and NATO before the invasion that if there were new security arrangements he would not have to implement a “special military operation” designed to demilitarize or de-Nazify Ukraine from threatening Russian national security. Stoltenberg admitted that once the war began, NATO supplied extensive arms and defensive systems to the Kiev government, making any negotiation with Russia next to impossible. But the idea that if only Ukraine were more heavily armed Putin would have thought twice about the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion is preposterous. Putin’s invasion was directly related to Biden snubbing Putin’s overtures to discuss new security arrangements. Stoltenberg finishes his term as NATO Secretary-General Oct. 30.
Stoltenberg told FAS that the only way to end the war was through negotiation but admitted the time had not yet arrived for peace talks. So, on the one hand, Stoltenberg admits he the war cannot be won militarily but, on the other hand, thinks that Ukraine must be in a stronger position to negotiate a just end to the war. When former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte takes over NATO Nov. 1, Stoltenberg can wash his hands of all the recent controversy with 81-year-old President Joe Biden and 62-year-old U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer deciding to allow Ukraine to use U.S. and British long-range missiles to strike deep inside the Russian Federation. Russian President Vladimir Putin, 71, said yesterday that he would consider U.S., U.K., or NATO missiles strikes in Russia to be an act of war. Biden said he didn’t care what Putin thinks of the change in rules of engagement.
China and Brazil announced a new peace plan last week asking Zelensky to go to the peace table to resolve the conflict through negotiation and compromise. Zelensky promptly rejected the proposal saying the Chinese and Brazilian plan was too Russian-centric, meaning it favored Russia. Every peace plan offered by a wide variety of countries over the last three years have all been rejected by Biden and Zelensky. Zelensky has his own 10-point peace plan requiring Putin to be prosecuted by The Hague’s International Criminal Court for war crimes together with removing all Russian troops from Ukraine. With Russia controlling some 20% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory, it’s doubtful Putin would submit to Zelensky’s demands, instead expecting the Lucerne, Switzerland peace talks to incorporate Russia into its next meeting, though no time has been set.
Stoltenberg admitted that to end the conflict both sides would have to sit down to negotiate a mutually beneficial settlement. “To end this war there will have to be greater dialogue with Russia at a certain stage. But it has to be based on Ukrainian strength,” Stoltenberg said, acknowledging there’s no mood in Washington or Kiev for any peace talks. Zelensky wants more arms from the U.S., U.K., and NATO to force Putin to the bargaining table. Stoltenberg agrees with Biden and Zelensky that the war must go on until Putin gives up the fight and removes his troops from Ukraine. Starmer said the war could end anytime Putin orders his troops out of Ukraine, meaning the war will never end. What gives Stoltenberg, Biden, Zelensky and Starmer the idea that Putin will surrender anytime soon? Unless there’s active peace efforts, the war goes on.
Locked in a stalemate in Ukraine, Zelensky thinks more arms buys Ukraine time to land more lethal blows to the Russian Federation. U.S., U.K. and NATO officials forget what happened when Putin moved 200,000 troops into Ukraine. Putin issued his warning in the months leading to the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion that Biden needed to discus new security arrangements in Ukraine or face a “special military operation.” Well, Putin moved his troops into Ukraine. So now, when Putin threatens to attack U.S., U.K. and NATO targets if ballistic missiles hit inside the Russian Federation, Biden says he doesn’t listen to Putin. What would happen if Putin decides to hit Kiev with a nuke, the most unthinkable scenario? Would the Western alliance start a thermonuclear war destroying Europe and parts of the United States? All parties should take peace talks more seriously.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
