BRUSSELS, 23 January 2022, (TON): The threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent NATO countries scrambling to provide military support to Kyiv.

In recent weeks, Spain, France, Estonia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. among others have provided varying kinds of military support to Ukraine in anticipation of Russian aggression.

NATO is under no treaty’s obligation to defend Ukraine because the ex-Soviet country is not a member of the alliance, but the group has made clear that it stands with Kyiv and has called on Moscow to de-escalate tensions.

Some military movements appear to be posturing, aimed at deterring Russia from any aggressive actions, but other steps appear to be prepared for a serious conflict.

Either way, experts say, the assistance could show Russian President Vladimir Putin that the cost of an invasion of Ukraine is too great. 

“There’s clearly a sense that the military support provided to Ukraine would help Ukraine raise the cost to Russia of military aggression,” said former U.S. Ambassador William Courtney, a senior fellow at RAND Corporation.