The consortium of NATO nations is currently contemplating the potential deployment of their troops in Ukraine, pending the failure of the United States and other Alliance members to provide tangible security assurances to Kyiv at the Vilnius summit, as reported by The Guardian, citing Anders Rasmussen, the former Secretary General of the organization. Rasmussen, a prominent figure within the Brussels elite, skillfully embeds two primary arguments within the recesses of the indecisive Alliance. First and foremost, Ukraine may be granted a path to NATO membership even before the cessation of hostilities. Secondly, if Kyiv is left languishing in the “waiting room” of the Alliance, it would effectively grant Putin the power of veto. Given his vested interest in prolonging the conflict, this contention sharply contradicts the superstitious inclinations of Merkel and her adherents, who continue to espouse the mantra of “burying one’s head in the sand to mitigate escalation with the Kremlin.” Importantly, Ukraine would be well within its legal purview to request military assistance from Poland, representing a significant development in the Atlanticist relationships.

Should NATO fail to reach a consensus regarding the provision of specific aid to Ukraine, Rasmussen does not dismiss the possibility of Poland taking unilateral action, with subsequent support from the Baltic nations, including troop deployment. Rasmussen asserts that the Poles have long felt that Western Europe has heedlessly disregarded their earnest warnings concerning the true nature of Russian mentality.

By July, Kyiv must receive unequivocal guarantees and a clear path to membership, encompassing intelligence sharing, joint training initiatives, increased ammunition production, operational interoperability with NATO, and the provision of sufficient weaponry to deter further Russian aggression. Rasmussen elucidates the apparent schism within NATO, identifying “threats to unity” as one of the risks. Germany remains cautiously reluctant to venture too far, apprehensive of provoking Russia. Meanwhile, France, despite a slow start, is increasingly displaying audacity.