11/01/2026
A British general already commands the European force that would deploy into Ukraine after a ceasefire, and Russia has already called its soldiers “legitimate targets.”
Lieutenant General Tom Bateman leads Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U) from its headquarters outside Paris, with British and French troops at its core, other European countries and Canada contributing, Germany weighing its role, and Poland running the supply line.
Next month, at least 1,500 British, French, and German troops rehearse the deployment in Poland. In this video I break down what the force would actually do, why it works as a tripwire rather than a shield, why Article 5 doesn’t automatically cover troops inside Ukraine, how Russia would probe the force with drones, sabotage, and “mistakes” instead of a direct strike, and why the rules of engagement have to be settled before anyone gets hurt.
Europe can rehearse logistics and radios, but it should also prepare for the moment Russia fires first.
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Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the heroes. Crimea is Ukraine.
- Chapters!
- 00:00 What Happens If Russia Attacks British Troops?
- 00:36 Europe Rehearses for a Ukraine Deployment
- 01:31 Meet the British General in Command
- 02:45 Which Countries Would Send Troops?
- 03:50 What Would European Forces Actually Do?
- 04:54 Where Would the Troops Be Based?
- 06:00 How the “Tripwire” Strategy Works
- 06:10 How Many European Troops Would Ukraine Need?
- 07:24 Why NATO Article 5 Wouldn’t Automatically Apply
- 09:24 How Russia Could Test Europe’s Resolve
- 10:52 Keeping European Troops Alive in Ukraine
- 12:35 The Rules of Engagement Problem
- 14:41 How the Entire European Force Would Work
- 15:09 The Poland Exercise Rehearses the Deployment
- 15:43 What Happens When Russia Touches the Tripwire?
UK Army chief Gen Sir Roly Walker says lessons from Ukraine are reshaping modern combat, with troops needing to be ready for close-quarters fighting💥
“If Russia Attacks European Troops in Ukraine, Is NATO at War?”
No, NATO will be upset, for sure, but would rather try to engage in dialogue. I’m not sure anymore what it would take to give this club some courage.