Russia Says It Will Respond to NATO Forces Buildup in Poland
A Russian diplomat told the Interfax news agency that Russia will respond to NATO forces buildup in Poland on June 11, 2022, if NATO doesn’t back off. Russia’s response will be proportionate and meant to neutralize any potential threat to Russian security. NATO plans to increase its forces on high alert to more than 300,000 to defend the eastern member states. However, the Baltic states have expressed concern over the NATO response.
To deter any attacks, the alliance has made a commitment to defend every inch of its member states against Russian aggression. NATO has been building up its military presence on its eastern flank and has recently deployed elements of the NATO Response Force. On the other hand, the NATO summit on 24 March 2022 discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and decided to deploy four battalions in Eastern Europe. These battalions have already been deployed to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. This move coincides with a new Strategic Concept that was approved by the alliance’s summit in Madrid, which stated that Russia is the greatest direct threat to NATO’s security and outlined the key tasks for NATO.
While the West and Russia have both been focusing on Ukraine and the looming global food crisis, Russia has been rattling on its frontier. This saber-rattling is at an all-time high. Both sides have been conducting aggressive reconnaissance flights over the Baltic Sea, and this is likely to intensify as Sweden and Finland join NATO. The Kaliningrad dispute highlights the potential for conflict to extend beyond the Ukraine.
Despite these new developments in Europe, the Russian leadership appears unlikely to alter its Ukraine strategy. In the meantime, it is making steady progress in eastern and southern Ukraine, and the West’s more advanced weapons will not change that trajectory. However, the new circumstances in Europe present a long-term strategic challenge to Russia. In the meantime, Putin and other Russian leaders are probably pleased with the recent summits of the BRICS and the Caspian countries, as they have demonstrated that they have allies in other parts of the world.
While the United States and European Union accuse Russia of breaking international law by sending a military ship into the region, they have yet to prove this. However, the European Union has urged Russia to respect the International Court of Justice order to withdraw from Ukraine. In addition to the Russian ambassador’s latest remarks to the World Peace Forum, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on China to drop its support for Russia. Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has accused NATO of starting a war, but Burns says this is Russian propaganda.
The United States and the United Kingdom have imposed a ban on new gold imports from Russia and its neighboring countries. This action will further isolate Russia and prevent it from joining the global economy. It has also prevented Sweden from joining NATO. But in this moment, the World will have to wait until further developments have been seen to determine the outcome of the war. It is imperative that the G7 nations stay united to contain Russia’s actions.