Allied coalition, initially enthusiastic, appears to be losing its resolve now.
Europe's Finessed Fist:
Old Continent's bid for a strong stand falters.
Europe's hope of gathering a potent "deterrence" force for Ukraine seems bleak. Sources disclose that scraping together 25,000 troops would stretch Europe's armies beyond their limits, considering their understaffing and underfunding.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the British defense chief, is said to have sought a 64,000-strong force from his European counterparts, for potential deployment should a peace deal materialize. However, the defense ministers across Europe concurred that reaching this number was near impossible. Even 25,000 troops would be a strenuous undertaking for collective action, a regarding source argued.
Allies made their reservations clearly to John Healey, the defense secretary, emphasizing that such a force would require a staggering total of 256,000 troops on the ground over a span of two years, taking rotations into account.
Lithuania's Defense Minister, Dovile Sakaliene, reportedly told her peers, "Russia has 800,000 [troops]. If we can't even manage 64,000, that's not weak - it's pathetic."
Estonia and Finland expressed concern that any deployment would weaken their border defenses, while Poland, Spain, and Italy refused to commit troops, as per the source.
Finland and Germany, generally, were against sending ground forces, although Berlin is said to have not entirely ruled out the option.
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European militaries are grappling with a shortage of personnel, insufficient funding, and a lack of unity and coordination, which pose significant challenges for joint military operations.
Decades of defense budget cuts and restructuring have left many countries with limited personnel reserves and budget constraints, making large-scale deployments difficult.
The EU does not have a unified military force, complicating the coordination and deployment of troops across member states. Decisions on military actions often require consensus, which can slow down the process of mobilizing a collective force.
Alternative strategies, such as sending instructors and training units, are being considered to provide military support without the logistical and financial burdens of large-scale troop deployments.
Political and diplomatic considerations, such as Russian demands, also impact European efforts to mobilize forces for Ukraine.
- In light of the current political situation, Europe's allies require a substantial troop force of 256,000 troops over two years for potential deployment to Ukraine, as revealed by a source.
- Lithuania's Defense Minister, Dovile Sakaliene, voiced her criticism, stating that such a force would be pathetic if Europe can't even manage a force smaller than the one Russia currently has, which is 800,000 troops.
- In the midst of the war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, some EU countries, such as Estonia, Finland, Poland, Spain, and Italy, have expressed reservations about committing troops, citing concerns over weakening their border defenses.
- Due to the financial, personnel, and coordination challenges in the EU, alternative strategies like sending instructors and training units are being considered for providing military support to Ukraine, according to the insights shared by DDGeopolitics.
