Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen suggested that Western nations, including the United States, should remain open to the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine should conditions deteriorate further.
Speaking to NatSec Daily on Saturday, quoted by Politico, Valtonen said that the West should at least not rule out any options for the long term, given the unpredictable nature of the situation.
“It's important that we not rule everything out for the long term, because we never know how serious the situation becomes,” Valtonen said in an interview.
“But the Finnish position is clear: We are not right now sending any troops and not willing to discuss that,” she added.
Valtonen stressed the importance of continued assistance to Ukraine, noting Finland's contributions to NATO's efforts. She called on European countries to do more to support Ukraine during this critical time.
This statement follows French President Emmanuel Macron's recent refusal to dismiss the idea of sending troops to Ukraine, which has caused divisions among U.S. and European leaders.
Despite this, Washington has expressed reservations about the proposal.
“The only US military personnel in Ukraine were with the American embassy in Kyiv "doing important work" on the accountability of weapons provided to Ukraine,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Kirby denied that US troops could be sent for demining, arms production or cyber operations, as French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne had suggested Western troops could be.
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He added that it would be a "sovereign decision" for France or any other NATO country whether to send troops to Ukraine.
At the same time, Former U.S. ambassadors to NATO, Ivo Daalder and Kurt Volker, support the idea of keeping the option of troop deployment open. They believe it sends a strong signal of support to Ukraine and may help deter further aggression from Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned against such deployments, viewing them as a significant escalation that could lead to nuclear war.
In an interview with Russian propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov on March 12, the Kremlin Chief said that if the US military were to enter Ukraine, Russia would “treat them as interventionists.”
“Our triad, the nuclear triad, it is more modern than any other triad. Only we and the Americans actually have such triads. And we have advanced much more here,” Putin said in a wide-ranging interview with state media.
Putin’s latest comments came just days ahead of elections in Russia that are all but guaranteed to hand him another six years in power and as his military posts gains in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has touted its nuclear prowess throughout its two-year full-scale offensive in Ukraine, last month warning Western countries there was a “real” risk of nuclear catastrophe if they escalated the conflict.
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Comments (5)
First somebody suggests it and the allies all gasp in horror, few months later the assets are in place.
We are coming soon.
European troops must be on the ground in Ukraine. Ukraine can not survive this war without assistance from Europe's democracies. I think the US is pretty well out of the picture.
Operation name: ukraine deputinication
What idiot would tell Putin their response would be "limited" no matter what he does --- start handing him "Get out of jail for free" cards. Bravo Finland.
YES, YES, YES, YES: A least 4 Allied nations that I'm aware of this week have now mentioned active deployment in Ukraine is a growing option. After two years of dithering that is far overdue. Now let the list grow. Then let the international games in Ukraine begin. The first event should be named "Orc in a barrel shoot". Happy orc hunting all!
Meanwhile putins' regime backtracks on its latest of 100's of "SMO" nuclear threats. Across the globe, they have been reminded there is no allowable option to use nucs offensively. Sorry putin, but even China and India spanked your bottom on that threat. Just in case putin forgot though, Macron also reminds him this week that France has nuclear weapons as well. If there was a point during putins foul tenure where his regimes word could ever be believed, it's too far in the past for me to recall.
His conventional forces severely gutted in Ukraine, his threats now mean less each day. When his invasion is forcefully ended, he will have little to protect him from the domestic riots that will ensue. His people will help him find peace, albeit it will require his departing the realm of the living.
Good luck with your exorcism of the demonic putin regime from russia RDK, SLR, Siberian Battalion and other anti-putin russian warriors.