Azerbaijan.US
A striking contrast in Europe’s approach to security crises has been highlighted by Azerbaijani politician Ilgar Mammadov, who questioned why Ukraine was encouraged to resist militarily in 2022, while Denmark and Europe are now advised against confrontation in discussions surrounding Greenland.
In a post on his Telegram channel, Mammadov stressed that his assessments of the future of the Russia-Ukraine war rest on one major assumption: if Vladimir Putin remains in power. In a scenario without Putin, he argues, the range of possible outcomes would widen significantly, giving Ukraine new chances.
Mammadov cited recent remarks by Belgium’s defense minister in an interview with broadcaster VRT, where the minister said Europe has no intention of starting a war over Greenland, pointing to overwhelming U.S. military superiority in the region and Europe’s limited supply lines. According to the minister, a military confrontation with the United States would be unwinnable.
Against this backdrop, Mammadov posed a question he called unavoidable. When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was anticipated, many voices in Europe argued that Ukraine should fight for its rights – including even the prospect of NATO membership – despite Russia’s far greater military resources and its nuclear arsenal. Today, however, when signals from Washington suggest pressure or even forceful scenarios around Greenland, Europe increasingly argues that resisting the United States would be pointless and that alternative solutions should be sought.
“I agree with Europeans now on the cost of resisting the U.S.,” Mammadov wrote. “What remains unclear is why Ukraine was expected to take up the fight, while Denmark is not.”
He suggested that the difference may lie in political calculations about leadership and time – including expectations about potential change in Russia’s leadership – but warned that such reasoning exposes an uncomfortable inconsistency in how the principle of resistance is applied.
The comparison underscores a broader debate about power, alliances, and the true limits of solidarity in international politics – one that continues to shape Europe’s response to both past and emerging crises.
