London deemed it unlikely that troops would be sent to Ukraine to defend against the Russian Federation | Politics News from Germany | Dw

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace doubted that London and his allies would send troops to Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion. “Ukraine is not a NATO member, so it is highly unlikely that anyone will send soldiers there to challenge Russia,” Wallace said in a video interview for The Spectator on Saturday, December 18.

“We should not deceive people that we could do this. Ukrainians know about this,” the minister added. Wallace said Britain could help Ukraine “build capacity.” At the same time, the threat of severe economic sanctions is the form of containment of Russia that London will most likely adhere to, he said. One of such measures, according to the head of the UK Department of Defense, may be the disconnection of Russia from the international payment network SWIFT.

Conflict between Moscow and the West

The West accuses Moscow of escalating the conflict with Ukraine and the threat of a military invasion of this country. Moscow denies such intentions and, in turn, accuses the West of arming Ukraine and conducting maneuvers near Russian borders.

On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry published a list of requirements for NATO, suggesting a refusal to further expand by

east and admitting Ukraine to the alliance, from conducting military activities on the territory of the countries of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia, as well as refusing to deploy medium and short-range missiles at positions from which they can hit the territory of the Russian Federation.

See also:

• The European Union and NATO in the post-Soviet space

  Integration into Europe

  Of the countries of the former USSR, only the Baltic countries are currently full members of the European Union: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia joined the EU on May 1, 2004. Six more countries participate in the EU’s Eastern Partnership program: three of them – Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia – have signed an association agreement with the EU.

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  The European Union and NATO in the post-Soviet space

  EU Eastern Partnership Program

  The Eastern Partnership program, aimed at deepening ties between the republics of the former USSR and the European Union, currently involves six post-Soviet countries – Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is noteworthy that Belarus and Armenia are simultaneously members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which also includes Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

• 

  The European Union and NATO in the post-Soviet space

  Eastern Partnership at two speeds

  Recently, the division of the Eastern Partnership countries into two groups has intensified. The first includes Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, which have signed an association agreement with the EU. In the second – Belarus, Azerbaijan and Armenia, which did not conclude such an agreement. An associated state can get duty-free access to EU markets in exchange for reforms.

• 

  The European Union and NATO in the post-Soviet space

  Who needs an EU visa

  Citizens of the Baltic states that joined the EU in 2004 enjoy the right of free movement and can work in any EU country on an equal basis with citizens of one or another EU state. Holders of Ukrainian, Moldovan or Georgian passports can visit Schengen countries without visas. Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan still require a visa for these purposes.

• 

  The European Union and NATO in the post-Soviet space

  NATO integration

  Of the republics of the former USSR, only three Baltic countries are still full members of the North Atlantic Alliance. Ukraine and Georgia have been granted the status of a “graduate student”, which means that the state has officially expressed its interest in joining NATO and has received an invitation to join an intensive dialogue on membership issues

  Author: Alexandra Elkina

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