To stop Russia’s advance, Kiev needs more soldiers on the ground, according to an extensive analysis by several military experts, notes the magazine “Foreign Affairs”.
Ukrainian soldiers in Odessa PHOTO PROFIMEDIA
As Russian forces accelerate their advance, the prospect of them breaching Ukrainian defenses along the eastern front and jeopardizing Ukraine’s control of Kharkiv or even Kiev presents Europe with a security threat it cannot ignore.
A Russian victory in Ukraine would validate President Vladimir Putin’s revisionist ambitions and belief in the intrinsic weakness of the West. It would allow the Kremlin to keep Russia on a war footing, a societal approach that European countries could not match.
There is no reason to expect Putin to stop at Ukraine. European forces could carry out operations aimed at reducing pressure on Ukraine.
A strictly non-combat mission would be easiest to accept in most European capitals. European forces could take over logistical functions of the Ukrainians, such as maintaining and repairing combat vehicles. By standing west of the Dnieper River – a natural barrier – European forces would demonstrate that they are not there to kill Russian soldiers, anticipating Russia’s inevitable accusation of European aggression.
Some Ukrainian vehicles are already being sent to Germany, Poland and Romania for repairs, but doing this task closer to the front would speed up the process.
At the same time, French, Polish and other European military advisers could provide lethal and non-lethal training in Ukraine to further professionalize the country’s military.
What type of missions can European troops have
A limited form of missions could involve strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities by deploying personnel, providing equipment, or even assuming command and control of Ukraine’s air defense system.
The risks of escalation would be minimal, as European forces would have little chance of killing Russian military pilots launching munitions into Ukraine from Belarusian and Russian airspace. But it would help shoot down cruise missiles and drones. Thus, European-led air defense batteries would free up more Ukrainian troops to protect forces close to the front lines, while also thwarting Russian attempts to destroy critical infrastructure and intimidate the Ukrainian population into surrender.
European forces could also carry out other tasks, such as demining and defusing unexploded Russian munitions, helping to protect civilians and support Ukraine’s economic recovery.
Guarding borders and ports
Another combat role would involve patrolling parts of the Ukrainian border where Russian troops are not deployed, such as the Black Sea coast and the borders with Belarus and Transnistria (a breakaway region of Moldova occupied by Russian forces).
Guarding these flanks would free up more than 20,000 Ukrainian troops to fight on the front lines. At the same time, it would reduce the likelihood of a new front opening along these borders, as Russia would certainly seek to avoid widening the war by attacking other European armies.
European forces could also help secure Ukraine’s three remaining Black Sea ports, which are vital to both the Ukrainian economy and global food security, freeing up even more Ukrainian soldiers.
Any kind of European operation in Ukraine would also have an emotional charge. The presence of European troops would boost the morale of the Ukrainian people and reassure them that their country’s future is in Europe.
Finally, Europe must consider a direct combat mission to help protect Ukrainian territory west of the Dnieper. In addition to reducing the burden on the Ukrainian military in these regions, the presence of European troops would make it unlikely that Russian forces would advance across the river, thus protecting much of Ukraine from conquest.
For example, in Odessa, the main port of Ukraine, through which most of the country’s exports are shipped. European forces in the area would have the right to defend themselves by firing on advancing soldiers. It could help defeat a Russian offensive that, given Odessa’s strategic position, could strangle the Ukrainian economy and position Russian forces for a possible invasion of Moldova.
