Several NATO members are considering sending troops to Ukraine in response to Russia’s advances in the east, amid debates over Western support and intervention. Tensions escalate as Baltic states express willingness to join potential conflict, sparking concerns over a wider escalation involving NATO members.
Several NATO members are considering deploying troops to Ukraine should Russia achieve significant advances in its latest eastern offensive. This follows increasing concerns among European nations about potential Russian gains.
German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that Baltic states’ MPs were angry with Berlin’s reluctance to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons or permit strikes on Russian territory using Western arms. Baltic politicians indicated that if Russia breaks through in eastern Ukraine due to West’s partial support, they would send troops to assist Ukraine, potentially making NATO a direct party to the conflict.
Russia’s Defence Ministry recently announced the capture of Arkhanhelske village in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, intensifying its offensive away from Kharkiv. French President Emmanuel Macron was the first to suggest sending Western troops to Ukraine, supported by Baltic states and Poland, but criticized by other NATO members including Germany.
Separately, NATO has been discussing sending military instructors to train Ukrainian soldiers within Ukraine. Currently, NATO training occurs outside the country.
These developments coincide with inflammatory statements by Major-General Nikolay Plotnikov on Russian state TV, urging the Kremlin to reclaim Narva in Estonia, Daugavpils in Latvia, and Klaipeda in Lithuania—cities within NATO member states, thereby threatening a broader conflict.
In a related development, Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s ex-president, warned that a US retaliation for any Russian use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine could trigger World War Three, threatening NATO countries with becoming “radioactive ash.”
