NATO admiral comments on Trump's intentions to stop Russo-Ukrainian war quickly

Admiral Rob Bauer, the head of the NATO Military Committee, has noted that the scenario of stopping the Russo-Ukrainian war in which the Kremlin would feel like a winner will definitely not be in the interests of the United States.

Bauer was asked during a discussion organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies how the European allies in NATO would act if the Trump team began to back down on supporting Ukraine, recalling how Europeans met the US decision to withdraw from Afghanistan without much resistance, which ended in a chaotic evacuation from Kabul and the triumph of the Taliban. 

Bauer began his answer by saying that he saw a huge difference between the allied operation in Afghanistan and the situation that has emerged with the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

"Actually, Afghanistan was never of strategic importance, if we’re really honest. We spent 20 years there, we did a lot of things, and people lost their lives. But if you ask the question was it of strategic importance, then the answer is no. Is Ukraine of strategic importance? Yes. Because it is connected to the rules-based international order discussion, it is connected to being in the heart of Europe, it is connected to the ambitions of Russia and, indirectly, the ambitions of China.

So if I look at what President Trump says about 24 hours – which is probably more metaphorically than 24 hours – but let’s say ‘very soon’, then I cannot imagine that it is in the interest of the United States to allow Putin to come out of this conflict as a winner. It is in the interest of the United States," he said.  

Bauer stressed that the White House would also have to take into account the factor of North Korea's cooperation with Russia, as the DPRK not only provides Russia with some military assistance and sends its soldiers but also receives military and space technologies in exchange. He said that this would be a challenge and an issue for the United States. Bauer also pointed out the role of China, which does not provide direct military assistance, but helps Russia obtain the necessary goods and components.

"You cannot solve Ukraine without looking at all these other players as well. Because otherwise, the United States will hurt itself," Bauer concluded.

The NATO high-rank officer also believes that if Western leaders were not constrained in their decisions by the risk of Russia's use of nuclear weapons, they would have gone ahead and sent their troops to help Ukraine in the war. 

Bauer’s tenure is soon to expire, and he will be replaced by Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.