A regional correspondent reports that a senior NATO official spoke about supporting Ukraine and efforts toward long-term peace: the alliance will be with Ukraine at every step toward achieving stable peace.
“NATO will stand with Ukraine until the day they sit down at the table for long-term peace.”
– a senior NATO official
Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who has headed the NATO Military Committee since January, from an operational standpoint noted that Russia’s war against Ukraine has stalled, and “it’s almost time to sit down and talk, because it’s wasting lives.”
According to Dragone, Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 spurred Finland and Sweden to join the alliance, and this is regarded as a strategic setback for Putin, despite the slow and steady actions of the Russian Federation on the battlefield.
“They will not get a friendly or puppet government, as in Belarus. Putin will not succeed.”
– Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
NATO’s view on further support for Ukraine
When asked whether European countries are ready to continue supporting Ukraine’s defense, he answered in the affirmative. It was a kind of “awakening” for Europe, after which countries took responsibility for their own defense.
In June NATO agreed to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 – a move that followed repeated calls by the President of the United States.
Regarding Russia’s announced long-range nuclear-energy weapons, such as “Burevestnik” and “Poseidon,” the former Italian Minister of Defense and a naval aviator spoke out, countering NATO concerns, calling it a defensive nuclear alliance.
“They do not threaten us; we are simply ready to defend our 32 member countries and a billion people. We are a nuclear alliance.”
– Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
Regarding the risks of future invasions or attacks, Dragone named the Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – as likely targets, but under Article 5 NATO provides assistance, and the alliance will take the necessary measures. He also confirmed that the United States remains engaged.
The most important priority remains air defense: recent incidents with Russian drones in Poland and Romania have pushed NATO to strengthen air defense. Dragone also noted that in the coming months a concept of eastern defense named “Eastern Sentry” may emerge, and the corresponding units are already working on it.
“There are many things on the market that will meet our immediate needs, so we are creating a new initiative called Eastern Sentry… integrating all air defense already on our eastern flank. Air incursions are quite frequent; we monitor them, and this, in essence, is the game.”
– Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
In summary, Dragone stressed: although some countries express doubts about defense spending, the alliance remains united and mature, and its central role is to defend allies and partners. He concluded with the words:
“The alliance is stronger than our adversaries, and we will stay with Ukraine until the day peace prevails.”
– Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone