NATO member Estonia is “seriously” discussing the possibility of sending troops to western Ukraine to fill non-combat roles to free up Ukrainian soldiers so they can be sent to fight on the front, Breaking Defense has reported.
Such a deployment would mark a significant escalation of NATO involvement in the war. While the Estonian troops wouldn’t be sent for combat, they would be directly and publicly joining the war effort, making them potential targets for Russia, risking a direct Russia-NATO clash, which could quickly turn nuclear.
Madis Roll, the Estonian president’s national security advisor, said on May 10 that Estonia, a country with an active duty military of about 7,000 troops, would prefer to make such a move as part of a full NATO mission “to show broader combined strength and determination.” But he wouldn’t rule out the deployment as part of a smaller coalition.
“We should be looking at all the possibilities. We shouldn’t have our minds restricted as to what we can do,” said Roll, echoing French President Emmanuel Macron, who has repeatedly said sending NATO ground troops to Ukraine shouldn’t be ruled out. After the Breaking Defense report was initially published, Roll clarified that the idea of deploying troops was not something pending with the prime minister but that the talks were “ongoing” and not “dead.”
On Tuesday, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur downplayed Roll’s comments and said the talks on a troop deployment weren’t going anywhere. “There is nothing new here. When France came up with the idea of considering whether Europe and the allies could do more, it has been floated in various discussions, but it has not gone anywhere because at the moment there is no clear understanding among the allies of what it adds,” Pevkur said.
Lithuania, another Baltic NATO state with a very small military, is also open to the idea of sending troops to Ukraine. Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte told Financial Times last week that her country was prepared to deploy troops as part of a training mission.
All the recent talk about NATO troops potentially deploying to Ukraine has highlighted the fact that there are already a small number of NATO special operations forces in the country. The Discord leaks revealed last year that, as of March 2023, there were 97 NATO special operations soldiers in Ukraine, including troops from the US, the UK, Latvia, and France.
Never restrict your mind over what you can do. Instead, just let your mind run amuck!
I too don’t think the restrictions are the main problem with his mind. There are clearly some more pressing issues that need professional intervention.
Of course! Why wipe out only the nation of Ukraine when you can wipe out Estonia too? Send in all of Europe’s young men!
No more brothers’ wars!
All 10 of them?
These NATO pissant countries should read Article 5 very closely.
Seems there’s a faction in both NATO and Washington see the only path forward in escalation, … especially with dollar hegemony on the line, … as they say, an existential issue for Wall St, Lombard St., nso on, even to risking WW3 and nuclear annihilation. We live in evil times.
Estonia? HAHAHAHAHAHAH!
What a bunch of butt heads. Estonia is a pimple on Europe’s behind.