If NATO and the United States are so disinterested in war, then why do every one of their actions seem to test Vladimir Putin’s limits amid a growing military crisis in Ukraine?
It was announced over the weekend that NATO is working on plans to place a more permanent military presence on the Russian border in response to the Ukraine invasion.
The military alliance’s “tripwire” presence on its Russian flank, according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, could be replaced with a full-scale force in the hopes of deterring another military invasion by Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, the entire impetus of Putin’s invasion stems from NATO’s continuing Eastern encroachment into Ukraine, which the Russian President considers a broken promise.
“What we see now is a new reality, a new normal for European security,” Stoltenberg said in an April 9 interview.
That’s a scary thought!
Such a change will be part of a major “reset” for the alliance, Stoltenberg said.
Does the ‘Great Reset’ ring a bell? Wasn’t that merely a right-wing conspiracy theory? Guess not…
That ‘Great Reset’ involves an increased national defense spending by NATO members, many of which continue to pay less than NATO’s minimum expenditure, the secretary-general noted. Not until Donald Trump’s arrival on the geopolitical scene did nations like Germany begin paying their fair share. The United States continues to be the largest contributor to NATO defense forces, especially since the onset of military action in Ukraine.
In 2006, NATO defense nations agreed to commit a minimum of 2% of their gross domestic product to defense spending in an attempt to ensure military readiness among all 30 members of NATO at the time.
“The [2%] guideline is a minimum guideline, and of course, I welcome every increase in defense spending from all allies,” Stoltenberg added.
While Stoltenberg did not provide additional details on what the reset would entail, he noted that the details of such a change would be discussed at the Madrid NATO summit in June.
“Regardless of when, how, the war in Ukraine ends, the war has already had long-term consequences for our security,” Stoltenberg said. “NATO needs to adapt to that new reality. And that’s exactly what we are doing.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise visit to war-torn Ukraine on Saturday. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in person. Johnson announced on Friday that the United Kingdom would provide a roughly $130 million aid package to Ukraine that includes anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank missiles, and other equipment to help bolster the country’s defense against Russia.
The war has increased interest among several European nations to pursue NATO membership. Finland is currently in the fast lane to joining NATO, according to European officials, and is expected to file an application as soon as early May.
Putin has vowed to flood Finland with migrants if the Scandinavian country moves forward with NATO membership.
Author: Elizabeth Tierney
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