NATO Prepares For Russia’s Looming Invasion Of Ukraine

Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin. |

Despite talks to resolve the tension between the two countries, observers are concerned that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is looming.

According to CBN News, Russia has already started a 10-day military drills with Belarus and released a video of S-400 missile systems it sent to the country. Its troops from Siberia and the Far East were also moved to the area.

The United States has approved the deployment of its 1,700 troops to Poland to help Americans get out of Ukraine if Russia invades. The soldiers are part of the 3,000 troops the U.S. is sending to Europe to defend its allies, a thousand of which were repositioned from Germany to Romania.

John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said that the action aims to de-escalate the tension and move forward through diplomacy.

"Nobody wants to see, except with the exception of possibly Mr. Putin, any military conflict breaking out in Europe," he further stated.

However, some critics argued that the administration is just trying to avoid repeating the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan.

In response to the criticism, White House press secretary Jen Psaki explained that the present situation is different from what happened in Afghanistan, wherein America was ending a war and not preventing one, like what it is currently doing in Ukraine.

"There are a range of means that individuals and Americans can depart from Ukraine, and we've been encouraging them to do exactly that," Psaki continued.

Last week, Kirby shared that France has also sent forces to Romania, adding that other countries, such as Denmark, Spain, Netherlands and United Kingdom, are also considering the deployment of additional forces to Eastern Europe.

After sending anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, Britain already sent 350 troops to Poland on Thursday.

America is supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself but will not send U.S. soldiers. Joe Biden is concerned that doing so may intensify the tension.

"There's not. That's a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another," Biden said.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, revealed in an Israeli television that the country is seeking the help of Israel with air and cyber defenses.

Yair Lapid, Kuleba's Israeli counterpart, shared about the country's analysis on the situation.

"At the moment, the [Israeli] assessment is that we don't see a violent confrontation soon. I also don't think a world war is about to start there," he said.

Lapid disclosed that Israel is deeply concerned about the tension between Russia and Ukraine due to the significant number of Jewish people living in both countries.

"We have a duty to act with caution about the Russia-Ukraine crisis that no other country has," the minister declared.

Russia maintains that it has no plans of invading Ukraine, in spite of the huge number of Russian troops it deployed in the Ukrainian borders, but only wants to keep the nation, alongside other former Soviet countries, out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is asking NATO to stop sending weapons to Ukraine and recall its alliance forces from Eastern Europe. However, the U.S. and NATO are reportedly dismissing these demands.