Previously planned annual NATO military exercises inside Ukraine were understandably delayed by a massive civil war breaking out in eastern Ukraine. NATO, apparently seeing it as a chance to stick it to Russia, is now saying they plan to hold the exercises later this month, even though the war is still going on.
Fortunately, the 10-day exercises will be taking place in western Ukraine, far from the actual warzone, and close to the border with Poland. 1,300 NATO troops, including 200 US combat troops, will be taking part.
NATO usually holds these Ukraine operations in the early summer, inviting several nations from eastern Europe to take part in anti-insurgency training. This year, the training is likely to be spun as centering on a putative Russian invasion of Europe.
The US is also sending the Ross, an anti-ballistic missile destroyer, into the Baltic Sea this week, to “promote peace” in the region. The ship is unlikely to play a real part in the training exercise, but is just the latest in a series of ships the US has sent into the area near Russia’s coast, apparently simply to needle the Russian navy.
President Obama says he wants NATO to build up Ukraine’s military so that it can more readily tackle ethnic Russian separatists in the east of the country, and there are reports the US and others are considering arms shipments.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Obama’s adviser must be Benjamin Netanyahu, both can’t seem to get along with their neighbors.
While there is a civil war going on there? Assw!pes.
The inevitable and forseeable consequence of Putin's conduct is that Ukraine (and probably Georgia and Moldova as well) will become de facto members of NATO, even if they don't formally join the alliance. Their military forces will receive the latest NATO equipment and will be trained up to NATO standards. European populist demagogues always end up by making one mistake too many and they are removed from office by force, whether from inside their own country or outside. How much trouble Putin causes before that happens remains to be seen but the astrologers are still saying that he will go down next year. Only Nancy Reagan knows for sure!
"that Ukraine (and probably Georgia and Moldova as well) will become de facto members of NATO, even if they don't formally join the alliance"
TOP LEL! Little green men would be swarming the signature room before the pen could even be unsheated.
"Their military forces will receive the latest NATO equipment and will be trained up to NATO standards."
Worked exceedingly well in Georgia. Are you living in some kind of base reality?
Judging from the canned text, I would surmise: chat bot.
Yeah sure, because we all know what great warriors from history have been produced from Moldova.
joint exercises – a circle jerk
Provoking Russia just like Georgia did with US advisers. First – these NATO idiots should look to the map to see how much closer Ukraine is to Russia then to US or Germany. It is Russia right to protect its rightful interests. While we see US warships in Persian Gulf "protecting US interests" Russia can not be allowed to protect its own interests in its closest neighborhood. This is simple bullying just like Great Britain used to bully whole world in centuries before WWI. However, this is not leading by example but antithesis of it. Soon whole world will have enough of US, their bully tactics of financial and freedom sanctions, gun boats, air strikes anywhere in the world and staged coups as they like.
Russia has already said that expansion of NATO into these countries is a red line. They have already begun covert war to stop it. In response, we dance over that line again and again.
This can have only one result if it keeps up — what we saw in Georgia and Czechoslovakia. Maybe that is what NATO really wants.
Michael Kenny is a troll and a moron.
It is time for Russia to put some missiles in Cuba in order to protect themselves from terrorists
The goal may have been only to place as many economic sanctions against Russia as possible because Russia was revitalizing too well for the likes of the West. Putin fell into a trap. The Russian economy with or without the Ukraine in their sphere did not make that much of a different. A Ukrainian coup was just a means to that end. Now the EU has been successfully split away from Russia, and the EU and Russia will both suffer economically, as the US may profit from such.
"President Obama says he wants NATO to build up Ukraine’s military so that it can more readily tackle ethnic Russian separatists…"
This is marvelous news. It appears that the skills military trainers honed to perfect pitch in Afghanistan and Iraq will not be allowed to atrophy. We are truly blessed with great leaders.
Very soon the rest of Ukraine will wake up and say :US go home.