“You shouldn’t expect miracles”: NATO on the war in Ukraine

In a recent report by Deutsche Welle, NATO’s take on the Ukraine war was laid out, and it’s quite the eye-opener. At a NATO meeting in Brussels, held over January 17-18, the bigwigs of military strategy got together to talk over how things are unfolding in Ukraine.

Rob Bauer, who heads NATO’s Military Committee, shared some pretty grounded thoughts. He pointed out that the world might have been a bit too hopeful last year. For 2024, he’s urging us not to swing too far into pessimism. Bauer’s take is that both Russia and Ukraine are kind of stuck at the moment, with neither side making major moves. He’s basically saying don’t hold your breath for any sudden miracles.

The latest from Russia’s side? Their attacks on Ukraine are causing a lot of damage, sure, but they’re not really hitting the mark in military terms. Bauer was pretty clear that Russia hasn’t ticked off any of its big strategic goals. And there’s more – NATO’s noticed that Russia’s been sending more troops to Ukraine, but their training doesn’t seem up to scratch. At the same time, Russia’s beefing up its missile game, possibly with help from North Korea and maybe Iran.

NATO thinks that sanctions and financial troubles are throwing a wrench in Russia’s military rebuilding plans. But, Russia’s still managing to churn out artillery and old-school tanks. Bauer summed it up with a bit of worry, saying that when you have enough of something, it can start to make a difference.

So, what’s the big picture here? NATO’s view is pretty sobering. It’s a complex situation, and it doesn’t look like things in Ukraine are going to clear up anytime soon. It’s a reminder that this isn’t a quick-fix scenario, and the world needs to stay alert and ready for a long haul.