Troops in Ukraine?

Colonel analyzes: Europe’s war strategy paradoxical

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron

(Bild: APA/AFP/Tobias SCHWARZ)

The European strategy for the war in Ukraine has so far been paradoxical. They don't want a long war, but they also don't want an escalation to end the war quickly(er). This contradiction has been exacerbated by statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ... Colonel Berthold Sandtner analyzes.

It is an open secret that individual members of European and American
American armed forces have been in Ukraine since the start of the war, helping the Ukrainians. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz only revealed on Thursday that British soldiers are helping to fire missiles in Ukraine, causing great irritation among European partners.

"Casual" Scholz comment triggers fierce debate
With his "casual" comment in the course of the discussion about the delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, Scholz was also reacting to Frenchman Macron's plans to send European troops to Ukraine.

"The Europeans have realized that they would have to escalate militarily if they want to end the war more quickly, and at the same time they fear possible Russian reactions to this," says Colonel Berthold Sandtner from the Austrian Armed Forces' National Defence Academy.

"Like a weakened patient who is denied medication"
"This is the European strategic paradox that cannot be resolved in this way. The Europeans would have to make Ukraine so strong militarily that
weaken Russia significantly. But that is precisely what they are afraid of",
says Sandtner. "Ukraine is like a severely weakened patient who has an irrepressible will to live, but is being denied the means to get better, or just enough to keep him from dying."

Colonel Berthold Sandtner during a visit to the "Krone" TV studio

(Bild: krone.tv)

The Russians could keep the current situation going for another two to three years, Ukraine only with massive Western financial and military support. To end the war more quickly, it would have to be escalated. An official deployment of ground troops would be a maximum option. However, it does not mean that fighters are automatically sent to the front line, explains Sandtner.

In his state of the nation address, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin warned the West of the "tragic consequences" of increased involvement in Ukraine:

Medics, soldiers for command support and air defense operations in the third and fourth front lines or other military experts could also be sent. It is astonishing that France, of all countries, is pushing ahead with such an idea. After all, the French have not been among Ukraine's biggest supporters to date - neither in terms of financial contributions nor arms deliveries.