Military Chief Rob Bauer: Risk of nuclear escalation deterring NATO troop deployment to Ukraine
During a discussion hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Chair of the NATO Military Committee , Rob Bauer, indicated that if Western leaders were not constrained by the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons, they might have sent their troops to Ukraine to assist in the ongoing conflict. These remarks were made during a discussion hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, as reported by Evropeyska Pravda.
Bauer was asked whether it is time to increase aid to Ukraine, hinting at the physical presence of certain Western allies.
"Fighting in Afghanistan is not the same as fighting the Russians in Ukraine. The Taliban did not have nuclear weapons. The Russians do. But again, I'm not saying it's 'impossible.' However, as an Alliance, we recognize this risk, and a political discussion is needed. Are we ready for such a risk?" noted the admiral.
He highlighted that now, once Ukraine has received nearly the full range of armaments, up to F-16s, it is logical to question why the decisions took so long to materialize. Initially, leaders did hesitate over where to draw the Kremlin's 'red lines.'
"It's easy in hindsight to say those fears were unfounded. But if you bear the responsibility for accepting the risk, it's a different conversation. I am absolutely convinced that if Russia did not have nuclear weapons, we would already be in Ukraine to push them out. But they do have nuclear weapons. So, it's not the same as Afghanistan," stated the top NATO general.