The top US general has said that the only way to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin would be to send US troops to Ukraine – an action he and President Joe Biden opposed, saying it would spark a new conflict with Russia. . “Apart from the deployment of US troops in Ukraine, I’m not sure it was a deterrent,” General Mark Milli told the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. “The idea of preventing Putin from invading Ukraine, of preventing him from the United States, would require the commitment of the US military, and I think that would risk an armed conflict with Russia.” Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on the United States and NATO to send troops and impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, moves that are likely to forces in direct battle with Russian forces. However, NATO has stayed away from immediate intervention, choosing instead to provide military and humanitarian assistance. President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter on March 11 that an immediate US or NATO military invasion of Ukraine was not possible and a new world war would break out. “I want to be clear: We will defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of a united and galvanized NATO,” he said. “But we will not fight Russia in Ukraine. A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia is World War III. And something we must try to prevent.” Speaking on Tuesday, Milley said he “certainly would not advise” sending US troops to Ukraine to deter Putin. As the West announced sanctions on Russia after the invasion, Putin signaled the threat of nuclear war to warn of military intervention by putting Russia’s nuclear weapons program on high alert. However, Western officials believe that nothing has really changed with the readiness of Russia’s nuclear program. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has slowed in recent weeks, with Ukraine and Western officials warning that Putin was deploying troops for a full-scale offensive in the Donbas region. The region, located in eastern Ukraine, is home to the pro-Russian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Russia recognized Ukrainian territory as an independent state a few days before the invasion. As fighting continues across Ukraine, top Russian and Ukrainian officials continue to negotiate a ceasefire. Zelensky told the BBC on Monday that talks would continue despite reports of war crimes in Russia. Ukraine has accused Russia of killing at least 300 civilians, many of them in a horrific manner, in the city of Bukha, near Kyiv.
