Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (archive image). © Soeren Stache/dpa
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen has brought NATO soldiers into play on Ukrainian territory. Meanwhile, the reaction from Russia is unruly.
Brussels - Some NATO countries could station troops in Ukraine in the future if, among other things, the United States does not give Kiev concrete security guarantees. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen said this before the alliance's summit in Vilnius, as reported by the British newspaper The Guardian.
Rasmussen advises Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on issues of a future intra-European security architecture. Meanwhile, the current head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, recently said that security guarantees for Ukraine were on the agenda in Vilnius, but only full members would receive full guarantees. This did not go down well in Ukraine.
Ex-NATO chief Rasmussen: NATO countries could station soldiers in Ukraine
Rasmussen then said: "If NATO cannot agree on a clear path for Ukraine, there is a possibility that some countries will take action individually." This would include Poland, which is "very committed to providing concrete assistance to Ukraine," but also the Baltic states - "perhaps including the possibility of troops on the ground," Rasmussen said. In France, too, there is a "dynamic behind this idea".
However, Rasmussen also warned that mere security guarantees should not distract from Ukraine's desire to join NATO. Some NATO member countries could use such guarantees to nip in the bud a genuine accession discussion.
NATO soldiers in Ukraine? Unequivocal reaction from Russia
The reactions from Russia were unruly. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel on Thursday: "Rasmussen was not a particularly smart man before. And now he has succumbed to doctrinal delusion." Now he said that NATO could send troops to Ukraine - "on its own".
Video: The big questions: Peace in Ukraine, the future of NATO
Medvedev further writes: "Was the population asked? Which of them wants war with Russia?" He threatens: "You want hypersonic attacks on Europe, right?" It would also "affect" the United States, writes one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest advisers. He concludes his statement by saying, "That's what it means to become a freelance consultant at the wrong time for all sorts of greedy scum like Poroshenko (former Ukrainian president, ed.) and other corrupt Nazis." (FMT)
