Reports: NATO considering sending troops to train forces in Ukraine
now it comes as the New York Times is reporting on its front page today that NATO allies are considering sending troops into Ukraine not to fight the Russians but rather to train Ukrainian forces to fight the Russians let’s bring in retired lieutenant general Mark Schwarz former United States security coordinator Mark good to see you again your your take on what the times is reporting here well I think it certainly U amplifies the comments that were made by you know the US chairman of the joint cha staff excuse me uh General Brown who said that you know sending military trainers to Ukraine is is an inevitable so there’s obviously been some very high level discussions with between the defense department and the Executive Branch the US government regarding uh the ask that has been you know longstanding by Ukraine to provide more training and advisory support uh to the Ukraine military I think also just given the the number of casualties that Ukraine has suffered that the fewer uh service members that they have tied up in the in their training institutions and they can leverage you know the United States and and other members of The Alliance will only you know help Ukraine not only with throughput but also keeping experience on the front lines versus back in the training centers yeah I I’ve got my copy of the times here Mark with me uh just want to show it uh if I can because basically what it’s saying here is that the ukrainians have got about 150,000 troops that uh they’re hoping to train and they need those NATO trainers uh it goes on to say you know that the Allies are inching closer but as you point out the United States still very resistant to doing that but that you know Ukraine needs that kind of Advanced Training ASAP this is something that France and the UK seem to have kind of indicated that they might be uh willing to do uh no doubt the Russians would be completely outraged over this what ort of escalation might it lead to Mark what do you think well I think the uh you know the the calculated risk since the onet of you know Russia’s Invasion that took place you know a couple years ago now has been ongoing with not just the United States but NATO at large and so you know the uh change and the increasing lethality and range of uh certain weapon systems to include you know fighter aircraft long range um artillery the uh dpicm Munitions that uh cluster bomb you know type Munitions that are now being provided to Ukraine all of those decisions uh were backed up by some very uh deliberate risk analysis um by the United States military in you know in coordination with the executive branch so I I think the fact that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has made this uh you know comment publicly says that they’ve done that analysis and they don’t believe that uh um we will see an escalation in terms of primary a primary concern excuse me is NATO attacking an alliance country that would further draw um you know military um a military response by us or NATO forces against uh against Russia in Ukraine yeah and I just want to be clear and you just pointed it out you know that the the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the US has said you know no for now but we’ll get there eventually over time right now would put a bunch of NATO trainers at risk but we’re not just talking about France also the estonians the lithuanians have sort of indicated that they are willing to help as well uh what do you think the Russian response might be uh marked to this because uh you know they they seem to have said that’s a red line for them you know even if it’s trainers they do not want any NATO troops within Ukraine although I think it’s fair to say there may already be some Specialists operating in Ukraine kind of on the on down low so to speak yeah there’s certainly been indications that um other nations have provided their special operations forces some of the some of the country countries that you named the majority of the training has been going on either in you know in Poland or you know back at the joint military training center in Germany um up to this point so you know I don’t know uh President Putin’s psyche but I I don’t assess from what I do do know that this would be would cross a red line for him in that he would try to attack you know one of the alliance countries as a result of the deployment of of trainers and advisers I think we have to remember too that there’s a significant number of uh non-alliance countries off the European continent that are adding to the Russian you know Force structure and obviously a significant amount of military hardware and Equipment coming from China coming from Iran North Korea has has offered capabilities as well so um I think in terms of the escalation scale while President Putin may be very uh upset about it um you know candidly we need to do all we can um without crossing a red line to see a direct military confrontation with the NATO country um in support of President zalinski and you know the Ukraine people and and ultimately the Ukraine military Mark Schwarz is a retired lieutenant general with the United States military former US security coordinator joining us today from Colorado amid reports NATO is considering sending trainers to help the ukrainians now on Ukrainian so Mark good to see you thanks for taking time for us in Canada as always thank you
Former U.S. security co-ordinator Mark Schwartz weighs in on reports NATO is considering sending troops to train Ukraine’s forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Subscribe to CTV News to watch more videos: https://www.youtube.com/ctvnews
Connect with CTV News:
For live updates and latest headlines visit: http://www.ctvnews.ca/
For breaking news, fast, download the CTV News App: https://www.ctvnews.ca/app
Must-watch stories and full programs at http://www.ctvnews.ca/video
CTV News on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/CTV-News
CTV News on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/CTVNews
CTV News on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/CTVNEWS
CTV News on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/ctv-news
—
CTV News is Canada’s most-watched news organization both locally and nationally, and has a network of national, international, and local news operations.
28 comments
Why is NATO desperate to go to war against Russia?
In a whispered voice, with cupped hands; "they're already there"…..and I'm okay with that. Putin has to lose…..for the world's sake.
NATO troops have been in Ukraine already. They're the one operating the missile systems. In 2024 EU will announce its in a direct war with Russia. Your body is not your choice. Get ready for conscription
Let's keep escalating this failed war when we should be making some peace deal.
JFK sent military "advisors" into South Vietnam in the early 1960's. What could possibly go wrong this time?
More bluster.
i h8 zelensky and Ukraine
Well send them in Russia will clean house
Zelinski‘s not gonna have a country soon he needs to stop being so stubborn and listening to failing presidents and Prime Ministers you guys were with Russia for how many years without a problem all of a sudden now it’s a problem
After all this time and billions of dollars wasted they finally realize Zelensky is nothing more than a D lister and can’t win this war.
sounds like NATO really is playing a game of chicken with russia. How stupid
I think NATO don’t want his soldiers alive … this will be a grave yard for them .. mark my word
Officials that "consider" it should go there as regular infantry themselves. Oh and they should be forced to wear go pro while at it to provide entertainment for their tax paying constituents. 🙂
Ukraine stands no chance against Russia thinking realistically
Well this article got the Russki-Trolls going full throttle wacko.
Imagine being a Ukrainian conscript being trained by a person who’s only military experience is fighting in the desert when you have air superiority and tanks against a enemy who has none of those things
Ukrainian soldiers in a trench under shell fire need luck not training
the poor Ukrainians are fighting this war for the rich through conscription. very sad that human life is used like this.
LMAO, NATO leaders have officially lost their minds. Risking war with Russia to send “trainers” to a country at war when Poland literally borders Ukraine? This is madness! How does the reward overweigh the risk here?
Horrible idea.
They don’t THINK it would cause an escalation?? Do NATO officials not understand they are toying with billions of lives here over trainers? What happens the moment a Russian missile hits and kills western troops? We either retaliate or look weak. This is so laughable and unserious on what planet is training Ukrainian troops worth a risk of WW3? You can literally just send them to Poland!
Just go CIA style with “private” military contractors. Why discuss on TV?
Who will theh train? Nothing remains of ukranisns…dend your men you are boasting…what remains of nato is their bombastic ego and narcicistic personslity?
Western leaders are improvising all the time.
Do you really think that they care about you! 🤣
Also Cubans are in there for russia
He never answered what would happen when these NATO instructors/trainers in Ukraine get as Joe Biden used to say "Bombed into Peace".
Really!! Now Canada and America are part of the Ukraine War…how stupid!! 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
We need to come to terms with the fact that nuclear war is a very real threat on the horizon. We will wake up real fast when we see Russia was not bluffing.