A senior Nato official has outlined the alliance's commitment to supporting Ukraine, shared an operational assessment of the conflict, and discussed Nato's defense posture and potential future security considerations.
Nato's Stance on Ukraine
Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of Nato's military committee since January, stated that Nato will stand with Ukraine until a long-lasting peace negotiation. He also noted his operational view that the Russia-Ukraine war is "bogged down," suggesting that negotiations could be timely due to the loss of life.
Assessment of the Conflict
Adm. Dragone characterized Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 as a strategic failure for Russian President Vladimir Putin. This assessment was made despite recent Russian battlefield advances and was linked to Finland and Sweden joining Nato following the invasion. He stated that Russia would not establish a friendly or puppet government in Ukraine like in Belarus and that Putin would not succeed in that objective.
European Defense
When questioned about the preparedness of European nations to continue supporting Ukraine's defense, Adm. Dragone affirmed their readiness. He stated that European nations were taking charge of their own defense, attributing this development to a "wake-up call." In June, Nato members agreed to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, a decision that followed earlier calls from US President Donald Trump for members to do so.
Nato's Defensive Posture
Regarding Russia's announcements about long-range, nuclear-powered weapons such as the Burevestnik and the Poseidon, Adm. Dragone, a former Italian chief of defense staff, stated that Nato is not threatened by these developments. He emphasized that Nato is a defensive nuclear alliance, prepared to defend its 32 member nations and one billion people.
Potential Security Risks
Adm. Dragone identified the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—as potential locations for future invasions or attacks, while emphasizing the conditional nature of this risk. He highlighted that an attack on any Nato member would trigger Article 5, which considers an attack on one nation as an attack on all, leading to Nato's collective defense. He confirmed that this commitment includes the United States, stating that the US has committed to this principle and remains engaged.