Baltic state backs sending NATO troops to Ukraine — RT World News

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suggested in an interview with The Guardian on Thursday that NATO might form a coalition of military trainers to send to Ukraine. He added that if this deployment goes ahead, participating countries will need to provide their military personnel with additional air defense cover.

In recent months, French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly refused to rule out the idea of ​​sending NATO forces to Ukraine, describing his statements as part of Western policy. “strategic ambiguity” However, several other member states rejected Macron's comments, insisting that he had no plans to deploy troops.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that the US-led military bloc “It has no intention of deploying troops in Ukraine.” Adding that Kiev did not submit such a request.

Speaking to The Guardian on Thursday, Landsbergis said it would be “More practical” To train Ukrainian forces in their homeland and not on NATO territory.

“You don't need to transport them all the way. You have everything they need there.” He said. “It is possible that instructors stationed as part of the coalition to train Ukrainians in Ukraine will be defended by air defense.”

According to the diplomat, such a step would send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin “It is not his place to decide how we help Ukraine.”

Landsbergis also revealed that the Lithuanian Parliament has already given the green light to a potential training mission. However, he noted that Vilnius would prefer to do so as part of a broader alliance with other Western countries.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk revealed this on Wednesday “There are some [NATO] The troops are there, I mean the soldiers.” in Ukraine. He explained that these “Watchers [and] Engineers.” He said that NATO had no desire to get further involved in the Ukrainian conflict for fear that A “A nuclear war may break out”

A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that “The entire Western society works for our enemy, and dreams of the disappearance of Russia in its current form.”

Speaking during a press conference earlier this week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the tactical nuclear weapons exercises announced on Monday were a response to a new, powerful attack. “Unprecedented” Rising tensions on the part of some senior Western officials.

He added: “They talked about the readiness and even intention to send armed units to Ukraine, that is, pitting NATO soldiers against the Russian army.” He explained.