In the Polish border forest, the US military slowly approached the war in Ukraine. Hundreds of troops from the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have been deployed in the forested mountains of eastern Poland, just a few kilometres from the Ukrainian border, putting them close to the target of Russia’s latest airstrikes in western Ukraine.
In the Polish border forest, the US military slowly approached the war in Ukraine
The force is part of about 5,000 U.S. troops sent to Poland in recent weeks after the U.S. had deployed 4,000 troops there.
NATO said the moves sent a message to Moscow that the NATO alliance would defend “every inch” of its territory.
However, there are growing fears of unexpected friction between the US and Russia. To avoid this situation, communication channels have been established.
There are also concerns that NATO forces in Eastern Europe could be targeted if the situation escalates. Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the alert level of his nuclear force last month in response to what he called an “aggressive statement” by NATO.
Constanze Stelzenmüller, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said: “NATO still says it will not intervene on Ukrainian soil, but more and more Western weapons are passing through NATO members. into Ukraine.”
She told The Associated Press: “It is possible that Putin will, or has actually given, this kind of military support — I have to say, on our side, this kind of military support is not particularly controlled, Nor was it accompanied by a cautious messaging – seen as NATO in combat. In other words, the discussion now is in part about Putin’s willingness to use tactical nuclear weapons against NATO forces on NATO territory. This will be a new The world,” said Fabrice Pothier, former head of NATO policy planning for
“nuclear blackmail”, and NATO must not allow Putin to go unpunished for nuclear blackmail.
He said: “So far, I think it’s a huge mistake to let Putin on nuclear blackmail. I’ll tell you why. I think accepting Putin to draw a nuclear red line is essentially ‘I want to do this in a particular area of operations’ (Ukraine). Do whatever, if not I will use strategic weapons’ – not fighting back is a huge mistake because there is nothing to stop Putin from doing the same next time, possibly including taking this against NATO ally actions?”
NATO has repeatedly said it will not be directly involved in the conflict. Poitier said NATO should do more.
Poitier said: “Are we fully aware of the danger of inaction? If I look back at recent history, in fact, stand on the sidelines and speak out that we support NATO allies but our mission stops at NATO borders, I think the risk is that It is no longer acceptable.”
The flashpoint of the conflict, Ukraine’s border with Poland has become the main route for refugees fleeing the conflict. It is also emerging as a key strategic frontier: a conduit for NATO weapons into Ukraine and a potential future flashpoint.
Ukraine has served as a buffer between Russia and NATO for decades. But if the Kremlin’s army occupies the whole of Ukraine, then there is nothing to separate the NATO army and the Russian soldiers. In Arlamów, as well as most of the frontier, there is no border fence, only hills and forests.
VOA English video: In the forest on the Polish border, the US military slowly approaches the war in Ukraine
