Originally Posted by
Lonewolf_50
I have an idea, not sure if it's valid. (Heck, it might be in the category of "Uh, what? Seriously?")
Mr. Macron had made noises about putting French troops into Ukraine. I wonder if he could put a few maneuver battalions or brigades along the Belarus border as a "don't even think about coming across here" message to Lukashenko. That might free up a few UA maneuver units for the central and southern fronts.
Their basis? Article 51 of the UN, the right of self defense.
One does not need a UNSCR to help another nation on a bilateral basis.
There may be other nations interested in participating in that.
Or not.
It would give pause to Pootin as to response. Mr V could treat the independent force as an example and toast them, which would open up reasonable direct response by the nation(s) providing the troops against Russian targets within the criminally occupied Ukraine or in Russia, a fairly clear escalation. The UN Charter absolutely permits any signatory to provide such support, however it would seem odd that the UN which remains impotent under the management of the current UNSG has every right to suspend and/or call for the expulsion of Russia, and certainly under its own charter rules has no reason to permit Russia top have a vote within the UNSC on any mayor pertaining to Ukraine, [Art 27(3) last paragraph]. If we are getting to the point of members of the UN taking independent action in the field under Art 51, and which is implicit in the first articles of the UNC, then perhaps its time to vote in the UNSC, recuse Russias vote and see what side of the fence China stands on. One vote, China determines whether the war ceases and Russia stops embarrassing itself, or not. China has its share of conflicting interests, but in the end their economy is needing a world that functions in order to keep Emperor Xi above ground.
Should prefer to see a coalition of states to guard the border under Art 51 with a caution that should Vlad target them, they are weapons free against all Russian targets within Ukraine as a starting point, and permitting Ukraine to target into Russia against military targets.