Russia doesn’t have capability to knock Ukraine out of war: Ex-US commander
Al Jazeera
Ben Hodges, who led US forces in Europe, says Western powers should overcome their fears of supporting Ukraine towards victory.
Athens, Greece – For General Ben Hodges, who once commanded NATO forces in Europe, the worst-case scenario for Ukraine is for Western powers to “keep doing what we’re doing, exactly right now”.
He told Al Jazeera in an interview on the sidelines of the recent Delphi Economic Conference in Greece that a paralysed US Congress, over-cautious White House administration and fearful allies in Europe constitute a Russian marketing success.
Take the German refusal to send Ukraine 500km-range (310-mile) Taurus missiles.
“That is 99 percent because [Olaf Scholz] is convinced that if [Donald] Trump is [US] president, then he will withdraw the nuclear shield from Europe and turn his back on NATO,” said Hodges, referring to the former US Republican leader who is running again this year.
“Germany then, unlike France and the UK if it ended up in a conflict with Russia over Taurus, would be without a nuclear deterrent.”
