As the war reaches stalemate, Putin could be cornered into escalating. What can the West do to defeat him while keeping the conflict from boiling over?
There was a subtle change in the pictures and footage coming out of war-torn Ukraine this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin no longer has any good options. He did not want a long war or a draining occupation, and he cannot afford one. “This is a tipping point,” says Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, head of the German Marshall Fund’s Paris office. “Russian forces are clearly encountering difficulties on the ground, Ukraine desperately needs our help. We need to increase our support before it’s too late.”Unless this is to be a truly attritional, grinding conflict, something must give. Either Russia or the West, or both, must take a risk. And soon.
It has become clear that a NATO-policed no-fly zone is out of the question. US or European fighter jets threatening to shoot down Russian jets looks like a fast-track to world war. On Thursday, as Zelensky addressed NATO leaders by Zoom, he threw in the towel and stopped asking for this.He is getting plenty of military support, although not always as quickly as his troops are chewing through it.
On this view, NATO cannot wait until its own territory is attacked. As Zelensky puts it, you either fight Putin now, or later. And if you do it later, you allow Ukraine to become a pile of rubble first. “I’m not sure if [NATO] shooting [Russian] missiles aimed at Kyiv would be perceived by allies as escalatory. Certainly it is less escalatory than shooting down Russian planes,” he mused.
“Right now, Russia doesn’t want to sit and negotiate anything: what it wants is to occupy the ground,” Borrell said on Spanish TV. “It wants to surround the coast to the border with Moldova and isolate Ukraine from the sea. It wants to negotiate in earnest only when it has secured a position of strength.”
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
To dissuade Putin on Ukraine, West must deny him certaintyThe world’s most powerful leaders have made it clear they have no appetite for war. So, if Vladimir Putin doesn’t relent, where does that leave Ukraine?
Read more »
NATO ready to threaten Putin with ‘far-reaching consequences’ if Russia uses chemical, nuclear weaponsThis is the first time NATO nations have sent supplies to Ukraine specifically to counter weapons of mass destruction amid rising fears that Moscow could use them. Europe correspondent, Rob Harris reports. ukraine russia NATO
Read more »
PM Morrison talking to Indonesia about booting Putin out of next G20Prime Minister ScottMorrisonMP wants Russia excluded from the G20, saying it would be a step too far to be sitting at a table with Vladimir Putin, whose country has been accused of war crimes. scottmorrison russia g20 vladimirputin putin russia ...
Read more »
What are chemical weapons and how might Putin use them?Poison gas conjures up the ghost horrors of WWI. But it’s been used in battle since. And Western leaders are warning that Russia may use it soon in Ukraine. What would that mean?
Read more »
Putin, the Napoleon of the internetLike France’s military emperor Napoleon conquering Europe, Russia on Putin’s watch has waged a series of skilful campaigns expanding its reach across the internet and social media. Until now.
Read more »
Putin may ramp up his war in Ukraine – here’s how Nato should respond | Ivo DaalderIt is vital Moscow understands that escalation will not be risk-free, says the former US permanent representative to Nato, Ivo Daalder
Read more »