NATO Military Chief Says Troops Would Be on Ground if Not for Russian Nukes

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Nov 10, 2024 at 10:24 AM EST | Updated Nov 10, 2024 at 1:55 PM EST


NATO troops would be on the ground in Ukraine fighting Russian forces if Moscow did not have nuclear weapons, the head of the alliance's military committee has said.

"I am absolutely sure if the Russians did not have nuclear weapons, we would have been in Ukraine, kicking them out," Admiral Rob Bauer, the outgoing chief of NATO's Military Committee, said during an appearance at the IISS Prague Defence Summit in the Czech Republic on Sunday.

Russia has the world's largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, followed closely by the U.S.' nuclear arsenal. Combined, Moscow and Washington control around 90 percent of the nuclear weapons across the globe.

As Moscow's troops poured into Ukraine in late February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin placed his country's nuclear deterrence forces on high alert. Months later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the risks of nuclear conflict had become "considerable."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/nato-russia-nuclear-weapons-ukraine-ground-troops-rob-bauer-1983425

[dutch777]

1. Don't need NATO troops on the ground....loan the Ukrainians the NATO air forces for a couple of weeks.

Would make Russian positions in Ukraine untenable. No resupply, no safe havens out of range, no hope. Don't have to cross the border into Russia. Issue would be Russians and Belorussian air defense units based on their soil. Could be very transparent upfront that this will be a conventional intervention to restore internationally agreed to borders. Give the Russians two weeks to withdraw. Just like Iraq in Kuwait. Putin could start with nukes but he knows he is dead if he does. I know, super scary, super risky but allowing Putin a win sends him, Xi and Kim Jong Un encouragement to take risks that will be even more to deal with.

[harun]

14. Agree. An enforced no-fly zone.

[Irish_Dem]

2. NATO is quick to make their lame excuses for not helping Ukraine.

US military and intel services have said over and over Putin will not use nukes.
The US and NATO know that.

But it has been a convenient excuse to refuse to help Ukraine.

[HereForTheParty]

3. I for one am glad we don't have troops on the ground

And on what planet are NATO and the US not helping?

[Irish_Dem]

4. NATO only helped because Biden twisted their arms.

France and Germany were deep in bed with Putin and his oil deals.
Biden had to shame them into helping Ukraine.

US military knows the US has not really wanted Ukraine to win the war.
Dragged their feet and only gave them enough to keep the war going.
Not to win it.

US goal was to deplete Russian resources over the long haul.
Ukraine civilian and military deaths were just collateral damage in that goal.

So now it is too late. NATO is obviously making excuses for not helping much any more.
It is over.

[Marcuse]

7. Poland and the other front line nations are all in.

[okaawhatever]

8. That doesn't even make sense. nt

[ananda]

6. So, what do you think the real reason is?

Doesn't NATO have a lot invested in keeping Ukraine free
or are they worried that Putin will attack them, even if
not with nukes?

[Nasruddin]

11. Indirect message

This is an indirect way of saying that Ukraine needs to come up with its own nuclear deterrant.

[ananda]

15. And it would do that how?

I do not see that happening.

And I think the USA will help
in no way whatsoever.

[FakeNoose]

5. Those nuclear warheads haven't been tested or maintained since the 1990's

Who knows if they even work? They probably don't. But it's a dare that NATO leaders don't want to risk. It's not worth lives in case the Russians decide to strike with nukes. So NATO is being extremely cautious, until they know more.

[grandpamike1]

9. Bull

That is the lamest response ever, especially from NATO. Russia’s is not the only Country with nukes.if he ever used one, his entire Country would be evaporated. FAFO.

[Gore1FL]

10. As long as NATO continues to support Ukraine we should be good.

While Iam concerned about the U.S.'s support, I hope Europe continues theirs.

[mdbl]

12. Even Russia isn't stupid enough to make land they are trying to occupy uninhabitable

which is what nukes would cause.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. One would think so..

But then they are the same country that sent troops with all kinds of vehicles including tanks, into the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, after they "captured" the still-melting-down-after-38-years-nuclear-plant, where they were digging trenches to secure the area.



(as a note, there is a fine layer of soil over highly-contaminated ground, so there are special roads built for traversing the area and going off-road can stir up that layer and release radiation into the air)

[mdbl]

16. I see your point