The NATO summit, which was held in the Lithuanian capital two weeks ago, has significantly escalated its war preparations against Russia, at a time when the war in Ukraine is entering a dangerous turn in terms of human and logistical losses on the one hand, and at the level of conventional weapons and equipment used on the other. Why do the Western NATO member states, led by the United States, insist on continuing to beat the drums of war against Russia in the first place, instead of exerting maximum efforts and capabilities to stop the war, build peace, promote stability and bring the parties to the conflict to the same table to find an appropriate solution that will save the world from a terrifying end that awaits it, a policy that Western countries and their international institutions have long sung about in dealing with issues of wars and conflicts?

The statement came in more than 11,90 words, including <> items, more than a quarter of which are related to Russia, and heralds a major military escalation that the battlefield could witness in the coming months.

In the face of Russia

The language of the statement came as an unprecedented escalation against Russia, and a detail of the military preparations necessary to ensure the security and stability of NATO countries from Russian threats. The statement came in more than 11,90 words, including <> items, more than a quarter of which are related to Russia, and heralds a major military escalation that may take place on the battlefield in the coming months, not with the intervention of NATO, but with its member states, which play their role alone, led by the United States.

This does not mean that the situation will continue like this, as we may witness sudden military developments that officially drag NATO to the battlefield, which indicates that this alliance is preparing strongly for it in the foreseeable future, as stipulated in the summit statement regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, which focused on the following:

  • Emphasize that Russia has violated the rules and principles that contributed to the establishment of a stable European security system, and that it represents the greatest direct threat to the security of the Allies and to the peace and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area.
  • Hold Russia fully responsible for its illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, and that Russia cannot go unpunished for its crimes in Ukraine.
  • Demand that Russia immediately cease its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and withdraw completely and unconditionally from within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders.
  • Stand firm with Ukraine and uphold its right to self-defense, and firmly pledge to increase political and practical support for Ukraine for as long as possible.
  • Uphold Ukraine's right to choose its own security arrangements and its right to join NATO. Consider Ukraine's security critical to allies and the alliance, provide a large package of expanded political and practical support, and establish a new joint body called the "NATO-Ukraine Council", to promote political dialogue, participation and cooperation to realize Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for NATO membership.
  • Continue to provide the (non-lethal) assistance that Ukraine needs to support deterrence and defense in the short, medium and long term, help rebuild Ukraine's security and defense sector and move Ukraine towards full interoperability with NATO.
  • Warning of Russia's increased multi-domain military build-up, presence in the Baltic, Black Sea and Mediterranean regions, retention of significant military capabilities in the Arctic, and provocative activities near NATO borders, threatening the security of the Euro-Atlantic region, especially in the Far North, where its ability to disrupt Allied reinforcements and freedom of navigation across the North Atlantic poses a strategic challenge to the alliance, as well as its military integration with Belarus.
  • Warn against Russia modernizing its nuclear forces and expanding new and destructive dual-capability delivery systems. Condemning Russia's stated intention to deploy nuclear weapons and nuclear-capable systems on Belarusian territory, this confirms the continued need for NATO to monitor all these developments and work closely to address Russian threats and challenges, stressing that any Russian use of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons will face serious consequences.
  • Condemn Russia's actions against NATO allies and partners, directly or through proxies, including interference in democratic processes, political and economic coercion, large-scale disinformation campaigns, hostile cyber activities, and illegal and subversive activities of Russia's intelligence services; and stress the need for NATO and its allies to be prepared to deter such acts.
  • Emphasize the enduring commitment to Article III of the Washington Treaty that member states must invest at least 2% of GDP annually in defense, to meet the needs of achieving NATO objectives, to provide resources for the Alliance's new defense plans, and to contribute to its operations. Spending exceeding 2 percent of GDP will be needed in order to address current shortfalls and meet requirements across the board, with at least 20 percent of the defense budget needed to be invested on key equipment, including research and development, to maintain technological superiority and continue to modernize and reform forces and capabilities. The U.S. defense budget in 2011 was $822 billion, compared to $368 billion for European countries in NATO and Canada, or about $1.2 trillion.
  • Emphasize the Alliance's need for a strong and capable defense industry, with flexible supply chains. While working to remove obstacles to defense trade and investment between the Allies.
  • Stress the need for NATO to modernize itself and its capabilities in preparation for a new era of collective defense, against any aggression on any inch of Allied territory.
  • Emphasize ensuring a significant and sustained presence of coalition military forces on land, air and sea. Deterrence and defence rely on a combination of nuclear, conventional and missile defence capabilities, complemented by space and electronic capabilities.
  • The possibility of an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of allies cannot be ruled out. Important measures have therefore been agreed to further strengthen the Alliance's deterrence and defence position in all areas, including:
    a. the development of new defence plans that will always place NATO in a state of readiness for high-intensity and multi-domain collective defense.
    B. Provide the Allies with a larger range of forces with special combat capabilities and work to create a new multinational and multidisciplinary reaction force to respond quickly to threats and crises in all directions. Agree to strengthen NATO's command and control, to ensure that it has sufficient flexibility and competent personnel to implement the plans. NATO's annual budget for 2023 is $3.5 billion, of which the United States participates 16.2%.
    c. Deploy additional strong, combat-ready forces on NATO's eastern flank, i.e. on the border with Russia, and expand them to brigade-sized units where necessary, supported by reinforcements, ready-made equipment, and enhanced command and control.
    d. Approval of the improvement of readiness, readiness and interoperability of NATO's integrated air and missile defence.
    e. Agree to continue to operate in multi-domain operations, enhancing NATO's ability to act decisively across land, air, sea and space.
  • Call for the creation of a strong and resilient NATO defence industry, capable of meeting the need sustainably, and to significantly enhance collective defence.
  • Emphasis on increasing strong military capabilities capable of deterrence and defense in all areas, with a focus on advanced heavy combat forces and capabilities, while significantly increasing the stockpile of some munitions critical in battle.
  • Move forward with fuel supply distribution arrangements, as the timely provision of fuel to NATO military forces where appropriate in Europe enhances the Alliance's preparedness and response.
  • Emphasize the importance and readiness of NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defense System (IAMD) to deter, neutralize or reduce the effectiveness of any air and missile threat, and deploy it on the eastern side in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
  • Threatening NATO's use of nuclear weapons, its nuclear deterrence, and that it will remain a nuclear alliance to maintain peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression. Any use of nuclear weapons against NATO would radically change the nature of the conflict. While praising the alliance's strategic nuclear forces, particularly the United States, they are the supreme guarantee of the alliance's security, as the alliance's nuclear deterrence stance depends on the proliferation of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe. NATO remains committed to the full development of the ballistic missile defense system against the growing threat posed by ballistic missile proliferation.
  • Work to strengthen security and counterintelligence measures to respond effectively to hostile intelligence activity.
  • Work to strengthen cooperation between NATO and the European Union to face the repercussions of the Russian war in Ukraine.

    • These NATO military preparations are undoubtedly directly and unquestionably aimed at Russia, and they raise many questions and questions about the reasons, objectives, cost and priority of this, and whether Russia really poses this military threat to Europe and the United States.

    Although NATO welcomes the support of the United Nations General Assembly for efforts to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and despite the Alliance's affirmation of its commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace that upholds the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, we are not witnessing a serious international, American or European political movement at the level of military mobility that would pave the way for stopping the war and reaching a solution that satisfies all parties.

    Despite NATO's assertion that it does not seek confrontation with Russia and does not pose any threat to it, its countries continue their military and logistical support to Ukraine in a direct hostile manner to Moscow, and the Alliance provocatively insists that any change in its relationship with Russia is contingent on the cessation of its aggressive behavior and full compliance with international law, and that it will continue to consult and assess the repercussions of Russian operations on the security of member states, and respond to Russian threats and hostilities in a unified and responsible manner, while emphasizing Russia's complete withdrawal. and unconditional. This policy pursued by NATO is the same as the policy pursued by the United States in dealing with the crisis, which heralds its continuation and the increase in its complexity and repercussions in the coming days.

    (to be continued)