NATO’s super-expensive proxy war against Russia has finally run its course, ending in total failure. This may result in the obliteration of post-World War II norms in which U.S. fights Europe’s wars.
Leo Hohmann | Feb 16, 2025
Gov.pl, CC BY 3.0 PL, via Wikimedia Commons
European leaders are screeching and hollering over being left out of President Trump’s peace talks seeking an end to the bloody Russia-Ukraine border war.
Despite all of the financial and military assistance from the West, Ukraine has not been able to defeat Russia. And let’s be frank, it never will.
This is the opinion of the former chairman of the NATO military committee, Harald Kujat.
The retired German Air Force general surmised that after three years of conflict, the Ukrainian army lies in ruins, despite the billions invested in it, the weapons supplied, the training of personnel and the unprecedented assistance from the West. The U.S. alone has invested some $200 billion in the failed effort to deal Russia a black eye via the Ukrainian proxy.
General Kujat emphasized that Zelensky failed to take advantage of the opportunity that presented itself, and he will not have another chance. But really, it was the U.S. and Europe who failed in the war, not Ukraine, which was never Russia’s equal on the battlefield and never will be.
The German general believes the continuation of military action with the aim of “finishing off Russia” as proposed by some delusional Western politicians who still clamor for Russia’s defeat, will only lead to an even greater humiliation for Ukraine.
Kujat was quoted by European media as saying:
“It is time for our politicians and media to take note of the bitter truth that for three years, despite enormous financial and material support from the U.S. and European allies, as well as training and modern weapons systems, Ukraine has not been able to achieve military success. And that such a possibility, if it ever existed, no longer exists.”
The Russian online journal, Military Review, stated:
“For our part, we note that there is a group of countries in Europe that want Russia to be defeated. It is headed, as you might guess, by Great Britain and France. There is also a bunch of countries yapping along, but of a lower status. The most important question now is whether they will dare to go against the USA.”
That, of course, was a reference to the new American administration of Donald J. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to end the war in Ukraine and seems to have stepped up his efforts in recent days to do exactly that.
But now the war-mongering Europeans are barking about wanting a seat at the table to negotiate the terms of peace between Russia and Ukraine. Trump seems to sense that allowing the Europeans in on these peace talks would enable them to throw down deal-breakers at every opportunity, for London and Paris really don’t want peace with Russia. They want an extension of the war for as long as it takes to ramp up their own forces to invade what they hope will be a weakened Russia.
Why should they get any say in the peace process when they have expressed zero interest in peace until now, when Trump comes into the picture demanding it?
London, Paris, and to a lesser extent Berlin, want a say in how the terms of peace will be drawn between Russia and Ukraine. These countries want equal footing with the U.S. but they want the U.S. to foot the majority of their defense bills.
In short, they want to use U.S. military power for their own geo-political advantage while shouldering only a fraction of the financial burden.
With the ascension of the Trump administration, that day is over. Even Ukrainian President Zelensky is prodding the Europeans to step up and put their money where their mouth is.
Addressing the Munich conference, Zelensky called for the creation of a new “Army of Europe” amid rising concern that Washington may no longer be willing to play the fool.
Zelensky stated: “We can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it.”
The Ukraine leader said per the AP that “three years of full-scale war have proven that we already have the foundation for a united European military force. And now, as we fight this war and lay the groundwork for peace and security, we must build the armed forces of Europe.”
Good luck. I say go for it.
Zelensky claimed that such an army would not represent “replacing” the NATO alliance but it’s rather “about making Europe’s contribution to our partnership equal to America’s.”
He added that:
“A few days ago, President Trump told me about his conversation with Putin. Not once did he mention that America needs Europe at the table. That says a lot. The old days are over when America supported Europe just because it always had.”
Of course, we all knew this day would come, when Europe seeks to raise its own continent-wide army. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for that for years. Maybe the time is finally ripe for such a move. Why should the U.S. shoulder the burden for Europe’s defense?
And here’s the bigger question: What if Europe isn’t looking for “defense,” but rather something more akin to an aggressive “offense?”
Europe is filled with wealthy countries. They need to man up. And when they do start to foot their own defense bill, their taxpayers will likely realize that their politicians have been lying to them. Russia is not interested in taking them over. Russia just wants to be respected as the sovereign nation and global superpower that it is and will no longer be bullied by the West, dictated to in terms of where and how much of its own natural resources it can sell on the global market and at what price.
Russia wants open markets for its oil and gas and other resources. It does not want the responsibility of governing European countries.
Throughout its history, whenever Russia experimented with imperialism, it did not turn out well for them. Putin understands this. Besides, he has been in office for 24 years and has not once tried to storm his troops into any NATO country. The entire basis for the Western European case against Putin lies in his intolerance of Ukraine joining the NATO alliance.
Having a militarized Ukraine on Russia’s border has always been unacceptable in Moscow’s eyes, and the West knows it. Characterizing him as a military threat to Poland, the Baltics, and Western Europe seems irrational at best, fear-mongering propaganda at worst.
And if Europe is so intent on stirring up fear among its people of the Russian bear, you have to wonder if maybe it’s Europe that would like to make war against the bear, rather than the other way around.
Perhaps that’s what this European Army is really all about. Not defense, but offense.
Whatever the purpose, the cost of building up a capable European army would bring an end to many of the social programs, early retirements and cushy work schedules so many Europeans have grown accustomed to, and see it as part of their birthright.
If President Trump is smart, he’ll call the Europeans’ bluff and let’s see where they take this idea of a European Army.
Speaking of Catholics” Post Francis is suffering from both double pseumonia and bronchitis. It is obvious from the bulletins being released from where he is being trated,that he is not long for this world. I suspect that his death, and the deeply divided conclave this certain to follow, will create severe turbulence throughout thee Catholic world, AndCatholic turbulance has always meanttrouble for Jews. It has tended to create an dangerous environment for Jews. Francis strongly backed Hamasand Hezbollah in their wars against Isreal, and has been openly hostile to Israel, That reflects his obvious Marxist orientation. Once he passes away, he will be unable to control his leftist faction in the church< And that may lead to more young Catholics to be more activein anti-Israel and anti-Jewish protests, There may even be more Catholics recruited by the terrorist organizations in Judea-Samaria.
Laura, between you, Peloni and many others here, I’ve seen a lot of wasted words about who is a warmonger, who is a Nazi, etc. This is idle, worthless talk in light of the reality of the situation (thousands of civilians and soldiers dying every week on both sides, plus the utter destruction of Ukrainian cities. It is no consolation to a Ukrainian who’s lost everything they had, including the lives of loved ones, what the Russian-backed Cossacks did to their ancestors in the 17t century, or how much destruction was contributed by Ukrainian nationalists during the Second World War, etc. The fact is that just about EVERYONE here has expressed some sort of grievance about the past. I say,
NEVER REMEMBER
to all of them. This will make the world a much better place.
END THE WAR — NOW, WHILE YOU STILL CAN.
The situation of the Russian speakers in Ukraine has been somewhat analogous to the Catholic Irish nationalists in the north of Ireland after the Treaty was signed in 1921, or the Serbs in Croatia and later in Bosnia. You could even stretch it somewhat to Jews stranded in America after Israel was established in 1948..
Many foolish and uneducated people place their ignorance on display when they go “Putin invaded in 2022.”
The very first law passed by these wretched after the Maidan Coup new illegal government and illegal state was a direct cultural attack on use of the Russian language – that is on the Russian diaspora.
You would think every Jew would understand. We Irish from the North sure get it.
The only warmongers in this are in Moscow. It was Russia which launched the invasion of Ukraine. Nobody attacked Russia. Capice?
Let China swallow Russia. They deserve each other.
American taxpayers fund very little of anything.
The annual revenue from taxpayers (the huge corporations or the very rich pay nothing or almost nothing in taxes) is around 4 (four) trillion $$.
The so-called DEBT of 34 (thirty four) trillion $$ is the REAL fund that pays for most of it.
Remove the “DEBT” money (which the US has never intended to repay) and the US will fall to the level of a poor African country and will never recover.
Let Russian swallow Ukraine. They deserve each other.
Unfortunately, there are a few leaders like Macron around who didn’t learn anything during WW1 & WW2. They simply can’t win a war. After seeing the French behavior when they celebrated D-Day anniversary with Trump, they couldn’t bring themselves to admit that it wasn’t them that won the war. They were at the level of asking who invited Trump to attend.