NATO Must Reform If It Wants to Survive

The battle in Ukraine will drag on for years, as Vladimir Putin stated in his recent Victory Day address.

Even if Russia eventually withdraws, there will be no enduring peace. Western Europe could depend on American armed power to dissuade Soviet expansion during the Cold War.

Putin Plays Us Like a Fiddle

This no longer remains good. Unless NATO restructures itself significantly, Putin and his heirs will continue to abuse this fact.

Although the US and Europe are naturally apprehensive of directly confronting Russia, they can do more than offer Ukraine short-term aid.

Now is the time to begin establishing NATO as a legitimate force for defending western democracy in the twenty-first century.

Bold actions are needed, such as drastically amending the NATO treaty, establishing an army in Europe, and even removing countries that have broken their democratic promises.

However, it is the most effective approach to discourage the Kremlin and, as a result, avoid future bloodshed.

Although European governments previously opposed this approach, the only practical reaction to the onslaught on Ukraine is for them to build their own robust force as part of a restructured NATO.

The tragic incident in Ukraine resulted in significant increases in European defense spending.

While Europeans can keep relying on American air and navial might, they must also be ready to handle the lead in their own defensive capability.

This will not happen unless Europeans quickly commit to a detailed action plan requiring each NATO member to meet robust and defined military requirements on a yearly basis.

Liberal military “experts” claim Europe needs a defense force under the command of a central structure to survive a Russian onslaught.

They say many different armies under different banners would be unable to fight with cohesion.

Putin Personally

Mikko Hautala, Finland’s envoy to the US, knows Vladimir Putin more than most ambassadors.

He’s met Putin a dozen times, even in a sauna, he claimed, pointing to a photo of him handing his papers to Putin as the new Finnish Envoy to Moscow in November 2016.

 

The turn in attitude from Vladimir Putin yesterday, as the Swedish Senate discussed whether to join NATO, was as stunning as Finland and Sweden’s intention to apply to join NATO after years of independence in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion.

Putin stated Russia would not oppose Finland and Sweden joining NATO, unless NATO erected facilities and stationed permanent troops in those countries.

“In terms of enlargement, new members Finland and Sweden involved, Russia has no problem with those nations,” Putin told six former Soviet states on the occasion of the CST’s 30th anniversary.

“As a result, the membership of those countries poses no imminent threat to Russia. However, the growth of military infrastructure throughout that territory would undoubtedly necessitate our intervention.”

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR