As military chiefs from 30 nations gathered near London to plan a military mission to Ukraine, the former head of the US Army in Europe has told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that these countries would be capable of mounting the mission without US help.
“Ukraine stopped Russia almost by itself,” Ben Hodges, who retired as commanding general in 2017, said on March 20.
“The soldiers that I have encountered over the years from the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Poland are quality women and men with good equipment.”
Britain and France have led the initial process to assemble a military force that would deploy to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire but have suggested it can only work with what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called a “US backstop.”
This refers to provision of air support, logistics, and intelligence.
However, Washington has been cool on the idea of any US military role and Moscow has said any presence by forces from NATO member states would be unacceptable.
“Judging from the conversation between the US and the Russian side, I think there's almost no chance that the US would provide the so-called backstop. I don't think this administration is willing to do that,” said Hodges.
“The whole set of conversations between the US and the Russian side does not seem connected to the reality of who Russia is.”
Russia Still Pounding Ukraine
Talks between the two countries have edged forward plans for a partial cease-fire rather than the complete pause in fighting proposed by Washington. They have also focused on improving bilateral diplomatic and economic ties, and even arranging ice hockey matches.
Meanwhile, Russia has continued to pound Ukraine, hitting two hospitals and other civilian infrastructure targets this week. Ukraine accused Russia of hitting its energy infrastructure on March 18, hours after President Vladimir Putin said he would halt such attacks.
Ukraine has hit back with drone attacks on energy and military targets in Russia.
Starmer has said the March 20 gathering would take preparations into what he called the “operational phase.” This suggests discussions about who would provide what forces, how they would be equipped, and other issues.
At the moment, Britain and France pledged to commit forces. Britain earlier this week said a "significant number" of countries were willing to provide peacekeeping troops but it’s unclear which ones. Countries including Australia, Canada, and Finland say they are open to being involved in some way.
Starmer’s spokesman on March 17 noted engineering support, the use of airfields and the housing of crews as ways countries could help without putting boots on the ground.
Hodges said the crucial thing for military chiefs meeting in England was to agree a clearly defined mission, which would then enable detailed planning and preparations.
“They probably are working through some possible scenarios. I mean, if you talk about a zone of separation where you have troops in between Ukrainians and Russians that's a huge number (of troops). If you talk about putting them behind the Ukrainians that's probably a smaller number. It's safer but less effective.”
Rules Of Engagement?
Another key detail being hammered out are rules of engagement.
“If the force is 50-100 kilometers behind the Ukrainians and then and they have to ask permission from Brussels to shoot down a drone this is not going to be a successful cease-fire implementation force,” Hodges said.
The March 20 meeting is being held at Northwood military headquarters, just outside London.
As it began, the British government released images of Starmer visiting a nuclear submarine earlier in the week.
As the first such visit by a British prime minister in more than a decade, it underlined the existence of Britain’s nuclear capabilities as Starmer sought to galvanize support for a military mission without direct US involvement.
Hodges told RFE/RL that British and French nuclear forces, though massively outnumbered by Russia’s, were still an effective deterrent.
“You don't have to match the Russians missile for missile to deter them,” he said.
