The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has pushed the entirety of Europe to pursue massive military modernization and increase contributions to NATO as uncertainty surrounds America’s commitment. Such tension may push the continent to its’ breaking point.
In the Oval Office on February 28, U.S. president Donald Trump scolded Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, warning of the risks of a Third World War if a peace deal couldn’t be negotiated with Russia. Trump claimed Zelensky was “gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.”
However, Zelensky has repeatedly warned that Russia won’t stop with Ukraine and that a major conflict would be more likely if Kyiv gives in to Moscow’s demands.
Russia isn’t exactly hiding its intentions to increase its sphere of influence.
On Tuesday, the Kremlin’s top spy chief said that Russian and Belarusian security services were ready to take “preemptive” measures against NATO if necessary. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin threatened that the nations directly bordering the Russian Federation and Belarus would be “the first to suffer,” referring to Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
“They should understand, but do not yet understand, that in the event of aggression by the North Atlantic Alliance against [Russia and Belarus], damage will be done, of course, to the entire NATO bloc, but to a greater extent, the first to suffer will be the bearers of such ideas among the political circles of Poland and the Baltic countries,” Naryshkin explained in a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Russia Claims Increases in NATO’s Budget Is Escalation
Naryshkin, a former KGB officer, further claimed that Baltic nations and Poland have continued to show “high aggressiveness” towards Moscow, noting Warsaw’s intention to increase its defensive measures along the frontier with Belarus and the Russian militarized exclave of Kaliningrad.
In addition, all four of the NATO states announced last month their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use, production, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines.
It should be noted that Russia never joined the convention and has deployed landmines, including anti-personnel mines, in Ukraine!
Yet, Naryshkin further blamed NATO support for Ukraine in the ongoing war for escalating tensions with Russia.
“We feel and see that European countries, especially France, Britain, and Germany, are increasing the level of escalation around the Ukrainian conflict, so we need to act preemptively. We are ready for this,” added Naryshkin.
NATO Leadership Stands Firm on Supporting Ukraine
Since launching its unprovoked invasion more than three years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made not so subtle threats to use nuclear weapons if any states were to interfere in Ukraine, a violation of the 1973 Agreement on the Prevention of Nuclear War, which as the Arms Control Association noted commits Moscow and Washginton to “refrain from the threat or use of force against the other Party, against the allies of the other Party and other countries, in circumstances which may endanger international peace and security.”
Last month, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also pledged to protect Poland and other NATO members from Russian aggression. During a visit to Warsaw, Rutte stated, “If anyone were to make a miscalculation, thinking that they would be able to attack Poland without consequences or attack any other ally, our Alliance would respond forcefully.”
The NATO chief further clarified that Putin, not Zelensky, may be gambling with World War III.
“This must be clear to Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and anyone who wants to attack us,” Rutte added.
“Let me be clear, this is not the time to go it alone. Not for Europe or North America. The global security challenges are too great for us to face alone.”
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/ Dmytro Larin.
