John Paul Rathbone

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Nato’s dilemma: what to do about Ukraine’s bid to join?

EuropaInternacionalOTAN

Whe Lithuanian capital with another strategic objective: to gain a seat at Nato’s table.

To Zelenskyy and his government, the US-led alliance represents long-term peace and security. Article 5 of Nato’s treaty is an ironclad mutual-defence clause backed up by American, British and French nuclear weapons.

But Kyiv’s objective goes beyond defence. Through Nato membership, Ukraine would receive an unambiguous ticket into “the west”, a break from centuries of subjugation by Moscow, and the security required for its reconstruction and economic revival.

Yet Ukraine poses a series of questions for Nato’s 31 members. Those questions reach to the heart of the alliance’s purpose, from how prepared its members are to fight a war against Russia to whether Nato’s mutual-defence clause is a security blanket to be thrown around states, or a badge of distinction to be earned.…  Seguir leyendo »

The battle for Donbas: ‘the real test of this war’

Europa, , ,

It began with heavy shelling overnight that levelled three-storey residential blocks, hit the town’s nursing home and left four-foot deep craters in the road. Then the heavy armour rolled in.

Dozens of Russian tanks, self-propelled guns and armoured personnel carriers advanced on Kreminna from three directions, as residents attempted to flee. After attempting to hold the town over the course of last weekend, Ukrainian troops retreated last Monday.

The small town of less than 20,000 people in eastern Ukraine is no standout victory for the Russian army, which two months ago launched an invasion aimed at capturing Kyiv and toppling the country’s pro-western government in a matter of days.…  Seguir leyendo »

Ukraine’s violent stalemate: how Russia’s offensive became a war of attrition

Europa, , ,

Russian troops arrived in the town of Makariv just four days after Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This week, Ukrainian authorities claimed to have retaken the town, 65km west of Kyiv, in a daring counter-attack that sent Russian forces into retreat.

Andriy Nebytov, the Kyiv chief of police, posted a video on Facebook showing him dressed in full combat gear, visiting the damaged and seemingly deserted town. In one scene he picks up what looks like a crumpled Ukrainian flag.

“As long as our flag lives”, he later said in a statement, “our army lives”.

The next day the Ukrainian defence ministry declared that “the state flag of Ukraine was raised over the city of Makariv, the enemy was driven back”.…  Seguir leyendo »