What could this escalation look like? It could be in the form of military action like blocking the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea or maybe even Ukrainian ports. For Putin, such tensions are an important tool for splitting the West and provoking disagreements within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Primarily with Ukraine, but also with Poland and the Baltic states. Closing the NATO mission gives the Kremlin a pretext, albeit a formal one, to gradually escalate tensions with Russia's neighbours. In undermining, if not destroying, the unity of the trans-Atlantic community he sees not only a security guarantee for the regime he built in Russia but his future legacy.
Since then he has embraced a new stage in the new cold war he is waging against the West, of which NATO is the ultimate symbol. In a 2020 referendum widely perceived as rigged, Putin ensured that he can stay in the Kremlin until 2036, effectively making him president for life. Not only because, as always, he is afraid to appear "weak". For Russian President Vladimir Putin, this break is a logical step.
Although no one has officially abrogated the NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997, ever since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2014 relations between Moscow and the alliance have been in a deep freeze. If normal relations between the alliance and Russia actually existed, one presumes there would be a host of "urgent matters" to address: Afghanistan tensions in the Indo-Pacific region terrorism global migration challenges. In a mocking tone that has become a trademark of sorts for the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov suggested that "if urgent matters arise" the alliance should contact Moscow's embassy in Brussels, which deals exclusively with bilateral ties between Russia and Belgium.
Officially freezing relations with the trans-Atlantic alliance gives the Kremlin a new chance to raise tensions on NATO's eastern flank in the Baltics and with Ukraine, writes Konstantin Eggert for Deutsche Welle, partners of LRT English.
Konstantin Eggert Deutsche Welle, 10-27, 21, After breaking off NATO ties, Russia to focus on Baltics – opinion, BibliographyĪccess to the evidence files above require a subscription. Access to the cards below is free with site registration.
0 kommentar(er)
