Security Guarantees Without NATO Are Insufficient, Warns Retired US General

Security assurances without formal NATO membership offer Ukraine little real protection against Russia.

The Gaze reports this, referring to a statement made by retired US Lieutenant General Ben Hodges in an exclusive interview with UATV.

Retired United States Army officer and former Commander of US Army Europe has cautioned that any peace agreement lacking strong, enforceable security measures is unlikely to prevent future Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Hodges emphasized that mere political assurances are insufficient, arguing that only binding alliances can provide real protection: “The term ‘security guarantee’ isn’t quite accurate. What really counts is an alliance where other countries are obliged to come to your aid. Without that, past agreements like the Budapest Memorandum and Minsk have shown us that promises alone fail.”

Until Ukraine achieves NATO membership, Hodges stressed that practical deterrence is critical: providing weapons and ammunition, supporting Ukraine’s defense industry, and maintaining pressure on Russia are necessary to prevent further aggression.

He highlighted that while the United States has considerable leverage over Russia, it has not been fully applied.

“The U.S. president has the tools to enforce compliance, but so far that leverage hasn’t been used. Without active pressure, Ukrainians should be very cautious about assuming Russia will follow any agreement,” he noted.

The retired general also highlighted the importance of protecting Ukraine’s long-term security. Any restrictions on its military capabilities or NATO aspirations, he argued, would undermine the country’s sovereignty. 

“Anything that stops Ukraine from defending itself — whether limits on troop size, weapons, or NATO ambitions — should be a clear red line,” he emphasized.

Turning to the ongoing peace negotiations in Geneva, Hodges described a chaotic process marked by miscoordination and the involvement of unofficial actors.

“There was confusion and finger-pointing, with non-official actors getting involved. Diplomacy looked disorganized and far from America’s best effort,” retired general said.

For the full exclusive interview with General Ben Hodges, visit UATV here.

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