The commander of US forces in Europe admitted on Wednesday that Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine showed that the Biden administration’s efforts to “deter and dissuade” the Russian leader had failed.
In the run-up to the invasion, President Joe Biden worked with allies to tighten sanctions on Moscow and position troops to bolster NATO’s eastern flank.
Biden himself said last week it wasn’t part of a deterrent effort, but when his commander in Europe, Gen. Tod Wolters, addressed members of Congress, he offered a different assessment as Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher examined the strategy.
Gallagher asked, “As a combatant commander, did you feel part of a multi-agency effort aimed at preventing Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine?”
“That’s right,” Wolters replied. ‘Deter and dissuade.’
Gallagher continued, “Is it fair to say that deterrence failed in Ukraine?”
“Firstly, I would say that NATO solidarity has remained,” replied the head of Europe Command, before being interrupted by Gallagher, who was urging a direct response.
“I cannot disagree with your conclusion,” Wolters replied.
General Tod Wolters appeared before the House Armed Services Committee. He described being part of a “deterrence and deterrence effort” to prevent Putin from launching an invasion of Ukraine
Putin ordered his forces into Ukraine 35 days ago, but on Wednesday the US said it believed he felt “misled” by his military, straining ties between him and his defense ministry
Mariya is searching for personal belongings in the rubble of her house, which was destroyed during fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the village of Yasnohorodka on the outskirts of Kyiv
People clear debris next to a house destroyed during the Russian invasion in the village of Boromlia in Trostyanets district, which was recaptured from the Ukrainian army in the Sumy region
Ukrainian fighters have devised effective tactics to halt Russia’s armored advance. Ukrainian soldiers patrol near a destroyed Russian tank in Lukianivka near Kyiv
The answer may seem obvious considering how Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine 35 days ago.
But the Biden administration insists its strategy has not failed because its sanctions were never designed as a deterrent.
“Let’s get something straight,” Biden told a reporter who questioned him last week.
“You remember if you covered for me from the start, I didn’t say the sanctions would actually deter him.
“Sanctions are never a deterrent. You keep talking about that. Sanctions are never a deterrent.”
Several officials took a different view before the invasion.
Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said in an interview with CNN that the purpose of the sanctions “is primarily to try to prevent Russia from going to war”.
A day earlier, Wolters told a Senate committee hearing that the US might need to send more troops to Europe and confirmed that Russia had used several hypersonic weapons in Ukraine but had failed in their efforts to instill fear among Ukrainians be.
The head of the European Command also acknowledged that there may have been an intelligence loophole that allowed Washington to overestimate Russia’s military capabilities and underestimate the power of the Ukrainian resistance.
He appeared before the Senate Armed Forces Committee on the 34th day of the Russian invasion, when Moscow announced it was scaling back its attempts to take the capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv.
Wolters said the Russian invasion had already prompted the US to increase troop levels from 60,000 to 102,000.
More could follow, he said when asked about the number of troops stationed permanently in Europe.
“I think what we need to do from a US forces perspective is look at what is happening in Europe after the Ukraine-Russia scenario is completed and examine the European contributions and, based on the breadth and depth of the European Contributions, be prepared to adjust US contributions,” he said.
“And I suspect we’ll need more.”
Six EA-18G “Growlers” arrived in Germany on Monday. Equipped with the very latest electronic warfare capability, they can disrupt enemy communications and anti-aircraft defenses
The US has already increased the number of troops in Europe from about 60,000 to 102,000 since Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine a month ago
A day earlier, the Pentagon announced that it would send six electronic warfare-equipped naval aircraft carrying 240 troops to Germany to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.
In his opening remarks, Wolters said Russia’s invasion had “galvanized” the 30 NATO members.
And he described the “unmatched” speed with which the Pentagon was able to dispatch an entire armored brigade combat group to Germany in just one week.
By comparison, he confirmed that Russia had deployed “multiple” hypersonic weapons – capable of traveling at more than five times the speed of sound and outmaneuvering missile defense systems – but had failed in their primary objective.
“I think it was to demonstrate the ability and try to instill fear in the hearts of the enemy and I don’t think they succeeded,” he said when asked why Russia was using one of its most sophisticated weapons have.