Retired French general: "Empty talks" and "weaknesses" mark NATO's approach to Ukraine

The idea of creating a "coalition of the willing" to provide military support to Ukraine is sheer nonsense, according to Dominique Delawarde, a retired general from the French Foreign Legion. 

Sharing his opinion with Russian media, he said that European NATO countries lack the essential resources, personnel, and equipment to form such a coalition, per Caliber.Az.

Delawarde stated: "This business with the 'coalition of the willing' and so on — I’ll tell you plainly — it’s laughable, it’s complete nonsense." He added that "they're mocking us — the French." The general explained his stance by highlighting that "the European component of NATO today is a sum of weaknesses." He argued that the largest European NATO armies, including those of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, simply do not have the necessary manpower, equipment, or training to create effective security forces.

According to Delawarde, the current discussions on the issue remain "in the realm of talk, idle chatter that will have no consequences." He expressed skepticism about the formation of a "coalition of the willing" in the near future.

To illustrate his point, Delawarde referred to comments made by the German Armed Forces' Inspector General, who stated that the German military will only be prepared for such actions by 2029. The general questioned how Germany plans to deal with potential conflicts before then, given the acknowledged unpreparedness of its military.

Delawarde also pointed out a similar issue in France, explaining that by 2027, France's rapid response forces would consist of only one combat-ready division (13,000 troops), which he believes is far too small to change the current situation. Furthermore, he expressed his certainty that Russia would not allow NATO forces to operate on its territory — specifically in its newly annexed federal regions — no matter how they might be disguised.

The general further emphasized that a military operation under the United Nations banner is not feasible, as there is no consensus within the UN and Russia holds veto power in the Security Council. "All this talk is empty talk that leads nowhere," Delawarde concluded, asserting that such remarks are often made by politicians to "occupy political space," impress the public, or possibly instill fear in order to gain support or financial resources. He noted that France, Germany, and the UK are all grappling with serious economic challenges.

Delawarde also addressed the issue of recruitment and retention in the armed forces of these countries, pointing out significant shortages and high levels of personnel attrition. He cited statistics from Germany, where annual recruitment falls short of the required numbers, and from France, where the number of soldiers leaving the service each year is roughly equivalent to the size of two regiments. He also mentioned that many new recruits choose to leave within months of joining. "So this won’t impress Russia or anyone else," he concluded.