Somebody needs to tell NATO, the US State Department and DOD that Ukraine is not going to become a member of NATO. NATO has been training Ukrainian military forces for many years. On June 12, 2020 NATO recognized Ukraine as Enhanced Opportunities Partner.
"As a NATO partner, Ukraine has provided troops to Allied operations, including in Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as to the NATO Response Force and NATO exercises. Allies highly value these significant contributions, which demonstrate Ukraine’s commitment to Euro-Atlantic security."
"As an Enhanced Opportunities Partner, Ukraine will benefit from tailor-made opportunities to help sustain such contributions. This includes enhanced access to interoperability programmes and exercises, and more sharing of information, including lessons learned."
On November 10, 2021 The US signed the U.S.-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership Among other things it stipulated that:
"Guided by the April 3, 2008 Bucharest Summit Declaration of the NATO North Atlantic Council and as reaffirmed in the June 14, 2021 Brussels Summit Communique of the NATO North Atlantic Council, the United States supports Ukraine’s right to decide its own future foreign policy course free from outside interference, including with respect to Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO."
Crimea was illegally annexed by Russia. Only a handful of countries — all Russian toadies — recognize Crimea as part of Russia today.
So why didn't Obama /Biden do anything about it? Or NATO? Life went on with Russia. No real sanctions. Trade and commerce continued. Ukraine made no effort to liberate it in contrast to the Donbas, which they shelled regularly.
No, we won’t put US boots on the ground in Ukraine in combat roles nor will we put US helmets in the air above Ukraine in combat roles. And I would very much oppose us doing it. Advisors? As long as they do not actively engage in combat operations, advisors are just that: advisors. We are already giving the Ukrainians intel, etc.
I wouldn't be so sure. We started in Vietnam giving weapons and stationing advisors who then got involved in combat. First we said no tanks. Now jets are being discussed if not provided by us, then other NATO members. This is how incremental escalations work. All of sudden you are in direct confrontation with the Russians. You know we have contractors in Ukraine maintaining weapons and training personnel. Real time intelligence is being provided for targeting. It seems highly unlikely we wouldn't already have boots/intel people on the ground in Ukraine.
Let me ask you this: There are stories floating around that Putin is planning to launch operations against Moldova. If true, are you okay with that, as you seem to be okay with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine?
I am not OK with it, but Moldova is not part of NATO. The Russians already occupy a portion of Moldova. Russian peacekeepers occupy a mainly Russian-speaking breakaway sliver of territory called Transdniestria since 1992, while political power in the capital Chisinau has oscillated for years between pro-Russian and pro-Western political parties.
We should stay out of it.
“Somebody needs to tell NATO, the US State Department and DOD that Ukraine is not going to become a member of NATO.”
My God, but you are naïve. You clearly don’t know what it takes to become a NATO member. It is a lengthy and detailed process, during which the nation seeking membership must meet certain criteria and fulfill certain requirements, after which the candidate must be accepted UNANIMOUSLY by the full NATO membership. One of those criteria is that the candidate country cannot be engaged in hostilities at the time of consideration. So, right off the bat Ukraine is ineligible. Then there is the unanimous vote: Ukraine has NO chance of getting a unanimous vote. For instance, Turkey and Hungary would be definite no votes. Then, Zelensky himself has said that Ukraine membership in NATO is not going to be pursued.
Do you have even the vaguest idea what a NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner is? It is a country that will work with NATO under certain circumstances and conditions.
Here, this is for your reading pleasure:
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/51288.htm
”On November 10, 2021 The US signed the U.S.-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership.”
A bilateral agreement between the US and Ukraine. NATO wasn’t involved.
“So why didn’t Obama /Biden do anything about it (Russia’s invasion of and “annexation of Crimea”)? Or NATO? Life went on with Russia. No real sanctions. Trade and commerce continued. Ukraine made no effort to liberate it in contrast to the Donbas, which they shelled regularly.”
Ever the bluffers (remember their “red line” in Syria?), Obama/Biden sent Ukraine blankets and MREs. Ukraine did not have the wherewithal to try to get Crimea back, but it did have the means to combat the civil war in the Donbas. And, are you seriously trying to argue that it was only Ukraine that shelled the Donbas? Because so did the Russian-backed separatists and, yes, even Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
“You know we have contractors in Ukraine maintaining weapons and training personnel.”
Yes, there are contractors there. There are contractors anywhere there is money to be made. Those contractors come from all over, from multiple countries and interests. As for training, the vast majority of training takes place in Europe and North America.
“I am not OK with it, but Moldova is not part of NATO. The Russians already occupy a portion of Moldova. Russian peacekeepers occupy a mainly Russian-speaking breakaway sliver of territory called Transdniestria since 1992, while political power in the capital Chisinau has oscillated for years between pro-Russian and pro-Western political parties.”
So, a Russian-backed coup is now under way in Moldova. Will you condemn that, as you have condemned the “coup” by the Obama administration in 2014 in Ukraine? Or, is the coup in Moldova okay because Russia is doing it, and is trying to “rescue” native Russians there (does that excuse sound familiar yet)?
Moldova wants to join the EU. Russia opposes that. Russia stirs up separatist shit wherever it can, just as the Soviet Union before it.
Look at a map. Russia’s intermediate goal vis-à-vis NATO is to break NATO’s soft underbelly, and the road goes through Ukraine and Moldova to Romania, which has a pro-Russia Serbia on its west, and a weak Bulgaria to its south; and Bulgaria has pro-Russia Serbia and non-aligned Macedonia to its west. If Russia remains true to its usual behavior, you will see soon pro-Russia and separatist unrest in Romania and Bulgaria and Albania, and in the Balkans in general with the possible exception of Croatia. Russia wants to restore the hegemony of the Soviet Union. But, its hardest nut to crack in that regard would be in the north, in Poland, and I think Russia will forego that and concentrate on the three Baltic states.
Russia is expansionist, and historically has been.