NATO chief confirms: No troop deployment to Ukraine on the Horizon

• Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala also declined to comment, stating that the Czech Republic does not want its soldiers in Ukraine.
• Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk also stated that Poland does not plan to send its troops to Ukraine.
• NATO offers Ukraine only non-lethal aid and support, but some members independently send weapons and ammunition.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the military alliance has no plans to deploy combat troops into Ukraine amid reports that some Western countries may be considering putting boots on the ground in the war-ravaged country. Stoltenberg emphasized, “NATO allies are providing unprecedented support to Ukraine.

We have done that since 2014 and stepped up after the full-scale invasion. But there are no plans for NATO combat troops on the ground in Ukraine.”

Before a trip to Paris on Monday, where top officials from over 20 countries discussed options to increase assistance for Ukraine, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that some are considering whether to negotiate bilateral deals to send troops to Ukraine to aid in repelling the Russian invasion.

Fico stated that his government is not planning to propose sending Slovak soldiers but did not provide details about which countries might be considering such deals or what the troops would do in Ukraine. Parliament speaker Peter Pellegrini also affirmed that Slovakia won’t deploy troops there.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala also declined to comment, but he underlined that “the Czech Republic certainly doesn’t want to send its soldiers to Ukraine.”

Prime Minister Donald Tusk also said on Tuesday that “Poland does not plan to send its troops to Ukraine.”

While ruling out NATO military action, Stoltenberg said “that this is a war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, blatantly violating international law. According to international law, Ukraine of course has the right to self-defense, and we have the right to support them in upholding that right.”

As an alliance, NATO offers Ukraine only non-lethal aid and support such as medical supplies, uniforms, and winter equipment, but some members independently send weapons and ammunition either individually or in groups. Any decision for the organization to deploy troops would necessitate unanimous support from all member countries.

The idea of deploying troops on the ground has thus far been considered taboo, particularly as NATO endeavors to prevent being drawn into a broader conflict with nuclear-armed Russia. However, Ukraine’s supporters have progressively supplied more hi-tech and long-range weapons since Russia’s invasion two years ago.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that Western nations should not dismiss the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine in the future, as Russia’s full-scale invasion enters its third year.

“We will do everything needed so Russia cannot win the war,” the French leader said after hosting the gathering in Paris. While he underlined that “there’s no consensus today” to send a combined force, he also said that “nothing can be ruled out.”

Just after France, Germany, and the UK each signed 10-year bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, indicating long-term backing as Kyiv works to strengthen Western support, the conference took place.

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