Russia may test NATO's Article 5 response with localized war in Estonia — Ukrainian officer

A veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Major Reserve of the National Guard of Ukraine, Oleksiy Hetman, shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"It is obvious that for many countries, the end of the war means Ukraine’s capitulation and 'relief.' But Putin will try to attack other European countries. It is strange that the Polish foreign minister speaks on behalf of all of Europe regarding sending troops to Ukraine. The British, the Baltic states, and France are not opposed and are considering these issues. The Poles are not holding the eastern flank — we are doing it for all European countries," he stated.

If Europe does not assist Ukraine in this war, it risks losing its own territories. Should Ukrainians fail to sustain the defense, Russia may attempt to attack a NATO country.

"There were calculations that the Russians might conduct a local war in about six months. Most likely, it will be a Baltic country. It could be Estonia, particularly Narva. 'Little green men' could enter there. In this way, Russia will test NATO’s Article 5 response," Hetman noted.

From an economic perspective, the European Union is as powerful as China or the United States. When comparing gross domestic product, the EU, the U.S., and China produce roughly the same amount of goods and services. The EU's capabilities are just as significant as those of the U.S., as emphasized by the reserve major of the National Guard.

"The war is taking place in Europe, and the greatest danger lies with European countries. There is a need to establish something akin to a European NATO. President Zelenskyy proposed the creation of a unified EU Armed Forces, which is not a new idea. Discussions on this topic have been ongoing for several years. The proposal triggered a nervous response from the Poles, who asserted that it would not happen. They understand very well that if a unified armed force is created, Ukraine will take the leading role. However, every country must be responsible for itself, and there needs to be more modesty in the statements," he added.

• On January 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would need at least 200,000 peacekeepers to prevent a new Russian attack after any ceasefire agreement.
• President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that if peacekeeping forces are deployed in Ukraine, they must include U.S. troops.
• On February 11, NYT reported that there are no 200,000 peacekeepers in Europe who could be sent to Ukraine. This is almost three times the size of the entire British army.
• At that time, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would need 100,000 to 150,000 European troops.