U.S. Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army Europe, believes that NATO should make Russia worry about Alliance actions in response to escalation rather than fretting about potential steps by the Kremlin regime. Hodges made these remarks in an interview with the BBC.
Commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron's statement suggesting the possibility of deploying foreign troops in Ukraine, Hodges noted:
"NATO remains the most successful alliance in world history. It has never been perfect, but there's a reason why countries aspire to join it. Because its brain isn't dead. It's the best alliance among those existing.
The United States must play a leading role; we must be consistent and do everything necessary to help preserve the unity of the Alliance. President Macron's statement about the death of the brain was made many years ago. Now he thinks differently. I would say that our Alliance has changed now, because so much has been accomplished. Member states, of course, can do a lot outside NATO.
It was important that President Macron said we should not dismiss the option of deploying European troops to Ukraine. I think it's a great idea, and it's great that he said it. Even if he never intends to send anyone. Give the Russians another reason to worry. Right now, we spend too much time worrying about what the Russians might do. Instead, we should make them worry about what we're capable of ," Hodges said.
General Ben Hodges responded to the question of whether an invasion of the Baltics or Poland could stir the West.
"We've been asleep, dreaming, since the Russians invaded Georgia in 2008. I think the awakening has truly begun. I think the likelihood of Russia carrying out an attack - something bigger than what it's already doing with disinformation, cyber security, and airspace violations - moving to the next level depends on whether the Russians believe that we are not ready, not united, that we won't respond at all. Because that's how it was in the past. Then, I think, the risk increases.
I don't think they're stupid. If they succeed in Ukraine, then they might move somewhere else over the next two, three, four years. Of course, that possibility exists. But they will have to change a lot to prepare for an attack on NATO. Because they should be concerned that we can respond properly. It's possible, yes, we should prepare for it. I don't think it's likely if the United States doesn't turn away from Europe, from Ukraine.
I am, of course, an optimist. After all, pessimists have never achieved anything worthwhile. Ukrainian soldiers, the Ukrainian people, always inspire me because from history we know that war is a test of will, but it is also a test of logistics. And we must help Ukraine with the necessary logistics.
2024 is the year of industrial competition. And we must help Ukraine win this industrial competition, get ammunition and technical support, and at the same time attack Russian logistics. If this happens, Ukraine wins," Hodges said.
