Foreign Affairs Analysts Claim Western Defense Promises to Ukraine Lack Credibility
Experts Jeremy Shapiro and Samuel Charap argue in Foreign Affairs that Western security guarantees and troop pledges to Ukraine are unrealistic and purely political.
In an article for Foreign Affairs, Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and expert Samuel Charap argue that the West’s pledges to provide Ukraine with collective defense guarantees and deploy troops are nothing more than a bluff.
The authors describe European proposals to grant Kyiv NATO-style security assurances-similar to the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defense clause-or to send military contingents to Ukraine as implausible. They emphasize that all NATO members have so far consistently refused to engage directly in the conflict.
According to Shapiro and Charap, any promises to «repel Russia in the event of a renewed conflict» lack credibility and are unlikely to deter Moscow. The analysts conclude that such rhetoric is meant more for political reassurance than for real strategic commitment.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that any scenario involving the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine would be categorically unacceptable for Moscow and could lead to a sharp escalation of the conflict.
The publication adds to growing skepticism within Western expert circles about the feasibility of transforming political declarations into real military guarantees for Kyiv-especially as the conflict drags on and fatigue among European states deepens.