Der Spiegel: Baltic states and Poland ready to intervene in Ukraine if Russia gains ground
According to German magazine Der Spiegel, Baltic states and Poland are prepared to send their troops to Ukraine if the Russian military achieves significant successes on the battlefield. The magazine references comments from deputies of the Baltic countries.
The potential for a strategic breakthrough by Russians in eastern Ukraine is high, attributed partly to the lack of robust support from Western countries. Sources from the publication note that Germany's inconsistent policies do not align with wartime necessities, which could lead to a sharp deterioration of the situation.
Eastern European NATO states fear that the current deterrence strategy and failure to supply Ukraine with advanced weaponry may provoke further escalation with Russia.
Officials from the Baltic States and Poland have stated they will not wait for Russian troops to reach their borders, opting instead to deploy their own forces to Ukraine. Such a scenario would potentially draw NATO into the conflict, a prospect that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and U.S. President Joe Biden are concerned about, according to sources.
"A senior member of the coalition committee in Germany's government told Der Spiegel: 'According to analysis, anyone who wants to limit the war through excessive restraint risks losing control. Some people confuse hesitation with caution, but the situation is too serious for that.'"
Recently, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged the U.S. to allow Ukraine to target Russia with American weapons. Italy has labelled this scenario as the "prelude to World War Three."
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has previously commented on Russia's inability to defeat Ukraine. He assesses the likelihood of an attack on NATO countries due to failures in Ukraine to be close to zero.