London (Times Of Ocean)- Former NATO deputy Supreme Allied Commander for Europe Sir Richard Shirreff said on Friday that the alliance should be prepared for war with Russia as their invasion of Ukraine reaches a tipping point. west
Sir Richard Shirreff proposed that the West immediately send ”heavy equipment” to Ukraine, including ”long-range artillery, precision fire missiles, anti-missile defense systems, and tanks.”
Sheriff said he doesn’t believe that Russia distinguishes between the supply of offensive and defensive weapons, and he agrees.
”Weaponry is weaponry. The best form of defense is attack,” former NATO official said.
”NATO must be ready for escalation. NATO has to be ready for a Russian response,” he proclaimed.
Shirreff has criticized NATO’s handling of the conflict so far, saying the organization ”must be prepared for the worst case”, but hasn’t demonstrated that readiness.
”The worst case is war, and that means a fundamental mind shift in NATO. Ready to be ready for the worst-case escalation,” the former supreme commander said, emphasizing how the war is an ”existential” battle for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his grip over Russia.
”If he doesn’t win, he’s toast,” Shirreff said of Putin. ”Therefore, the risk of escalation is very high.”
NATO needs ”to be ready for the worst case. Gearing itself up for war, mobilizing, rearming, and putting in place an impenetrable defense deterrent capability from the Baltic to the Black Sea,” he added.
Former NATO commander said cuts in defense spending in Europe are a concern, but the chess match is largely determined by preparedness and strategy.
”It’s not too late to start putting what we got out there. And at the moment, I see no sign of that happening,” Shirreff said. ”And then on top of that, of course, we need to be ramping up defense spending … for as long as Putin lasts.”
”There won’t be peace in Europe for as long as Putin is in the Kremlin,” he emphasized.