The anti-Moscow alliance could be facing its limits more than 100 days after Russia invaded Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron was the latest to come under fire for suggesting that it would not be wise to “humiliate” Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is a prospect few expected to face when the Kremlin launched the war. It also inspired a frightening clarity among the United States of America and its allies.
The West, however — partly due to its success in rallying behind Kyiv — is beginning to show signs of growing discord.
These fractures speak as much about the psychological scars of a century of war in Africa as they do about the current conflict. As the fighting for eastern Ukraine rages into its fourth month, they also raise unanswered questions about the future of this conflict.
France, Germany, and Italy are on one side. They now seem to prefer negotiations and cease-fires over unconditional military support for Ukraine. They were either accused of being hesitant about sending weapons or worried too much about Russia’s loss.
Experts and officials claim that these countries are playing the role of honest brokers in a war with one aggressor, signaling to Putin that the West is losing its resolve.
The Eastern Europeans, many of whom are ex-Soviet countries, are on the other side. They, along with the United Kingdom, are determined in their support for Ukraine. Critics warn that this could lead to a permanent war in Europe and an escalation of tensions with Moscow, which is nuclear-armed.
John C. Kornblum was the American ambassador to Germany under the Clinton administration. He stated that “So far, we’ve done remarkable well, but I am not optimistic about the future.” “Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling has scared off the West.”
This “so far scorecard” includes multiple rounds sanctions, an EU embargo against almost all Russian oil and Finland and Sweden joining NATO.
For many, however, cracks are beginning to show.
The E.U. The E.U. These issues were driven by two perennial troublemakers in West’s midst. But the cracks are most evident over Ukraine’s arming and how it might end.
Macron said this weekend to French newspapers that the West should not humiliate Putin but rather allow him to “exit ramp through diplomatic methods.”
The Ukrainian anger was swift. They saw Macron’s comments as a capitulation and offensive thoughts about the wisdom of humiliating an aggressor while their people are being killed.
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, tweeted that “Calls to avoid humiliation by Russia can only humiliate France or any other country that would request it.”
NBC News reached out to Macron’s office via email for comment.
The government of Italy is divided over the issue of sending more weapons. Matteo Salvini is the leader of the right-wing League party. He once signed a cooperation agreement with Putin’s party. In Red Square, he posed in a Putin T shirt.
Germany announced last week that it would supply Ukraine with radar and anti-aircraft systems. After years of criticism about Berlin’s willingness and ability to foster economic ties with Putin, Russia’s Putin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also accused of slowing down weapons deliveries and refusing to declare that Ukraine must win.
Scholz responded to questions about his reticence by saying, “I amn’t Kaiser Wilhelm”, referring to the German leader in World War I. Berlin also has always been pacifist, as a reaction against its Nazi past.
Scholz insists he does not understand the criticism. He told ZDF, a German broadcaster, that he was not being too cautious and just trying to act prudently and with a clear head.
The history also weighs on Macron. His desire to not humiliate Russia was interpreted as a reference the harsh penalties imposed upon Germany after World War I. Some historians believe these were the conditions that led to the rise of Nazism and World War II.
“Germany and France are all struggling with shadows from their past,” Fabrice Pothier, a French analyst who was once the head of policy planning at NATO, said.
According to Pothier who is now a senior consultant at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, the West faces a Catch 22 over Ukraine. He stated that “To defeat Russia in an important way, we will have to be more directly involved.” “But we can’t let Ukraine be defeated.”
Eastern Europe led the charge with its open denunciations of Putin and arms shipments to Kyiv. It’s all about survival. Putin could easily turn against them.
Both the U.K. & U.S. recently agreed to supply advanced rocket systems to Ukraine.
Some still see equivocation in the administration of President Joe Biden. This is especially after he stated that these weapons should never be used to attack Russian territories — the first limitation to any West-to-Kyiv assistance.
When asked about the matter, Ned Price, spokesperson for the State Department, said that there were “many eulogies prematurely written” about Western unity. He maintained that the alliance was still holding.
Some believe that ensuring Russian soil isn’t attacked by U.S. weapons is a smart move to stop escalation. Others see it as a sign that Putin has upset the West.
Some observers in Europe believe Washington is more comfortable than Paris or Berlin due to the perception that these countries aren’t doing enough.
