NATO considers options regarding Ukraine

(Dan Tri) – NATO seems increasingly motivated to increase its presence in Ukraine, and may even deploy allied soldiers there in a non-combat role.

Soldiers participating in joint exercises between Lithuania and Poland on April 26 (Photo: AFP).

Madis Roll, national security advisor to the President of Estonia, told Breaking Defense over the weekend that Estonia is `seriously` discussing the possibility of sending troops into western Ukraine in a non-combat role.

`Discussions are ongoing. We should consider all possibilities. We should not limit the options we can do,` he said.

The adviser added that Estonia wants whatever deployment is chosen to be part of NATO’s mission.

`It is not difficult to think that NATO countries that once opposed sending troops to Ukraine will gradually change their views over time,` he commented.

Mr. Roll’s comments are the latest sign that NATO is increasingly involved in the Ukraine situation.

Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron was the first to propose a plan to deploy non-combat troops to Ukraine.

Mr. Macron maintained his stance and said earlier this month that France would consider sending troops to Ukraine if Russian forces made a breakthrough on the front lines.

In addition to France, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna proposed in March that Warsaw could shoot down Russian missiles flying over western Ukraine, in response to Moscow’s repeated accusations of violating NATO airspace when

`NATO is analyzing different options, including that such missiles should be shot down as they are very close to NATO’s borders. But this will happen with the consent of the Ukrainian side,` he said.

German political leaders put forward a similar proposal this month, suggesting that NATO air defense forces based in Poland and Romania could create a safe zone extending about 72km to the west.

In fact, some NATO forces may already be operating inside Ukraine.

The Kremlin repeatedly warned NATO not to deploy any forces or even send any weapons to Ukraine.

Last week, commenting on Ukraine’s proposal to call on NATO to deploy forces, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: `We have repeatedly said that direct intervention on the ground by the armies of NATO countries