korrents

korrents · piece

'As Long as it Takes': What does it mean to commit to Ukraine's security?

Lawrence Freedman · 10 Oct 2025 · samf.substack.com ↗

9 korrents from this piece

Lawrence Freedman did not write this page.

Every claim below was made in this piece, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.

  1. Our reading

    The West is not doing Ukraine a favour by helping it resist Russia; Ukraine is doing the West a favour.

    Their wordsThe West is not doing Ukraine a favour by helping it resist aggression; it is Ukraine doing the West a favour.
    Interesting

  2. Our reading

    'As long as it takes' lacks urgency, and it is a formula available to Ukraine's allies precisely because they are not the ones doing the fighting.

    Their wordsAs a formula ‘as long as it takes’ lacks urgency. It is an option for the allies precisely because they are not doing the fighting.
    Interesting

  3. Our reading

    NATO enlargement was driven by the demand of the countries that wanted in, not by an alliance pushing east.

    Their wordsEnlargement was demand and not supply led.
    Interesting

  4. Our reading

    NATO's Article 5 carries no automatic obligation to fight, and it is still the gold standard for a security guarantee.

    Their wordsDespite its lack of automaticity this remains the gold standard for security guarantees.
    Interesting

  5. Our reading

    What makes a security guarantee credible is an alliance that is active in peacetime, not the wording of the treaty.

    Their wordsIt works because it is an active alliance, and not left dormant until an emergency arises.
    Interesting

  6. Our reading

    The 'coalition of the willing' for Ukraine is not a security guarantee and should stop being described as one.

    Their wordsIn all of this what may have been missed is that the plan now connected with a coalition of the willing is not a security guarantee.
    Interesting

  7. Our reading

    Putin set out to demilitarise Ukraine and has achieved the opposite.

    Their wordsRecall that one of Putin’s objectives in 2022 was to ‘demilitarise’ Ukraine. He has achieved the opposite.
    Interesting

  8. Our reading

    Ukraine is becoming a de facto member of NATO without ever formally joining it.

    Their wordsUkraine is becoming a de facto member of NATO.
    Interesting

  9. Our reading

    Ukraine is defending Europe's borders, not only its own.

    Their wordsWhen the Ukrainians say that they are defending Europe’s borders they are correct.
    Interesting