If Russia's nuclear threats effectively block and intimidate NATO, Moscow will continue to use them.
The signal of the current meeting of NATO leaders in Brussels will undoubtedly emphasize the unity and unwavering support of Ukraine. But, unfortunately, in reality, the Democratic Alliance, while speaking out against Vladimir Putin, is still doing little to defeat Russia. And behind the scenes, some leaders would like Vladimir Zelensky to agree to a peace agreement as soon as possible.
The shocking fact of this war is that the Ukrainians saved Europe and the United States while NATO helped Ukraine. Kiev's persistent resistance and great human sacrifices have given the West a chance to halt the onslaught of Russian imperialism before it threatens NATO, according to an editorial in the Wall Street Journal . The war showed that the Russian army was weaker than Western intelligence and the Pentagon thought. Despite all expectations, Ukraine can win.
More surprising is how the Ukrainian resistance has revived the feeling among people in the West that their countries are advocating something more. Ukrainians have shown that freedom has a terrible price. But Western leaders still seem worried about what could happen if Ukraine wins. This is especially true of the Joe Biden administration, which has taken many right steps, but late and only under pressure from Congress or Europe. The US president, irritated by Putin's brutality, rightly called the Russian autocrat a war criminal. But it seems the American leader is still afraid to do what it takes to defeat him.
On Tuesday, the White House twice asked US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan if he thought Ukraine could win. But all he could squeeze out of himself were words that Russia “will never be able to conquer the Ukrainian people.” In addition, he repeated the standard words of support for Ukrainian sovereignty. This cautious arrangement results in the weapons being delivered too slowly. Slovakia has offered to hand over to Ukraine its S-300 air defense systems needed by the Ukrainian army. But it is unknown whether they will be transferred at all. On March 16, it became known that the United States would finally hand over Switchblade drones to Kiev to fight the Russian offensive, which began on February 24. But on Monday, the Pentagon admitted that the drones were not yet on Ukrainian territory. The United States should ruin and replenish its weapons in such an emergency.
The same is true of Western Europe, which is trying to cope with the influx of 3.5 million refugees and get rid of its dependence on Russian oil and gas. The United States can accept many Ukrainians by providing them with temporary protection. Europeans now realize what a mistake they have made in the energy sector and are trying to change their policy. But Biden refuses to put off his obsession with climate change to deal with a crisis that will change the world. Its regulators are still attacking gas and oil production in the United States. It will be difficult to persuade Germans and Italians to make sacrifices if it does not help them meet their energy needs now and next winter.
It is hard to deny that Putin was able to successfully intimidate Biden and other leaders by threatening nuclear escalation. This fear may justify the decision not to help Ukraine with the closure of the sky, because American planes will have to attack Russian radars and missile systems in Russia. But this cannot be an excuse for the West not to do everything necessary to defeat Putin. If nuclear threats block NATO support now, Russia will use them in the future. The essence of deterrence is authenticity. Putin must be convinced that his use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine will have a backlash. This applies to chemical and biological weapons.
The Wall Street Journal fears that Biden and other NATO leaders will try to put pressure on Zelensky and force him to agree to turn Ukraine into a “frozen” zone of conflict, following the example of Georgia. Russia will be allowed to keep the occupied Ukrainian territories in exchange for the fact that there will be no more bombings. Putin will be able to consolidate control over these regions, rearm and attack Ukraine again in the future. NATO leaders can dispel these fears by publicly announcing that sanctions against Russia will not be lifted until Russian troops withdraw from Ukraine. Countries go to war: hot or cold – with the presidents they have. And the Americans want Biden to win in Ukraine. But he must be more determined. The goal should be not just a truce, but a Ukrainian victory.
