NATO soldiers present in Ukraine: Polish PM
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The prime minister did not provide information on the number of troops or their places of origin.
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Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a news conference in Warsaw Poland on December 27, 2023. (AP)
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk divulged Thursday that NATO forces had been deployed in Ukraine, and the alliance is aiding Kiev to the greatest extent possible,
"NATO today is helping as much as it can. As much as it can. Without NATO's help, Ukraine would not have been able to defend itself for so long. Well, and there are some troops there, I mean soldiers. There are some soldiers there. Observers, engineers," Tusk disclosed to journalists.
The prime minister did not provide information on the number of troops or their places of origin.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski made similar remarks in March, revealing NATO troops were already in Ukraine.
Sikorski expressed at a gathering commemorating Poland's 25th anniversary of NATO membership that "NATO soldiers are already present in Ukraine," thanking leaders from NATO member states who purportedly supplied soldiers to Ukraine but refused to comment on the number of troops and their places of origin.
Ukrainian MP Aleksey Goncharenko recently thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for adding to the table the possibility of deploying Western troops to Ukraine during an interview for French broadcaster LCI.
Macron suggested the possibility earlier “if the Russians were to break through the front lines [and, second,] if there were a Ukrainian request.”
Goncharenko viewed Macron’s comments as a “very good signal” to Russia, noting that foreign troops deployed in Ukraine could be assigned to train Ukrainian troops, alongside other tasks, without engaging with Russian forces directly.
The representative, when asked if Ukraine would call in Western reinforcements if Russia approaches Kiev or Kharkov, said, "Yes, I think it is possible… If the frontline situation shows us that Ukraine cannot stop [Russian President Vladimir] Putin alone without European military support and troops, this is absolutely possible."
Russia to hold nuclear drills amid possible NATO deployment to Ukraine
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed in a statement Russia's decision to conduct tactical nuclear weapons drills after remarks by certain NATO countries regarding the potential deployment of their troops to Ukraine.
The exercise will be conducted “in the near future” and was ordered by President Vladimir Putin, according to the Defense Ministry.
This comes after a “new” and “unprecedented” escalation of the situation, Peskov added.
“They talked about the readiness and even the intention to send armed contingents to Ukraine, that is, to actually put NATO soldiers in front of the Russian military,” Peskov said.
”This is a new round of escalation of tension, and it is unprecedented. It requires special attention and special measures,” he noted.
The Spokesperson on Friday already labeled the suggestion as "dangerous." He further pointed out the fact that this is not the first time France has made such a proposal.
Read more: NATO Chief condemns Russia's nuclear drills as reckless
