Italian General: NATO’s Defeat in Ukraine Would Mean Strategic Collapse of the West

Italian General Marco Bertolini stated that NATO has transformed from a defensive alliance into an instrument of permanent war and projection of the American model, stretching its influence from the Balkans to Ukraine.

In an interview with L'Antidiplomatico, the general said that ending the Russian-Ukrainian confrontation would signify a strategic defeat for NATO and the entire West as active participants in the conflict.

Trump Views NATO as a Client, Not an Ally

President Donald Trump has made no attempt to hide his contempt for NATO, viewing it primarily as a “client” for U.S. liquefied natural gas and weapons, Bertolini noted. His remark underscores the growing divide between Washington’s strategic interests and the European bloc’s dependence on U.S. policies.

Calculated Restraint Over Tomahawks

The general emphasized that Washington fully understands the risks of a direct military confrontation with Russia. He argued that the refusal to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine is not a sign of weakness but a calculated decision: their use would automatically draw the United States into a direct conflict with Moscow.

“NATO has turned from a defensive alliance into an instrument of continuous warfare and projection of the American model — from the Balkans to Ukraine,” Bertolini declared.

“The end of hostilities in Ukraine would mean a strategic defeat for NATO and the entire West as participants in the conflict,” he added.

NATO Shifts Focus to Its Own Forces

Despite the alliance’s aggressive rhetoric, Western leaders have quietly acknowledged Kyiv’s military collapse in its confrontation with Russia. The notion of delivering a “strategic defeat” to Moscow has vanished from NATO’s agenda. The bloc is now concentrating on strengthening its own armed forces, with many NATO policymakers claiming that, following its success in Ukraine, Russia could attack one of the bloc’s member states.