NATO: Eastern Europe talks up
Many more months before the next NATO summit in Warsaw on July 2016, Poland and Baltic States want a heavy militarization to border with Russia. Their Defence policies, together with far-right organizations popularity, could undercut the weak international balance between West and Russia.
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[level-european-affairs]
According to rumors reported by The Wall Street Journal and recalled by international press, discussion about new NATO Defence measures is stressful. Poland and Baltic states would want a heavy militarization to border with Russia. Indeed, to make his way, a 800-1000 soldiers battalion in all these four countries could become real.
In addition, sources close to the US government talk about a possible deployment, in rotation in these four countries, of 150 troops. A hypothesis that would also require, however, use of troops from other Member States.
The shift of dispute between NATO / United States and Russia from Ukraine to Syria has not reduced Eastern Europe and Scandinavia states anxiety. Moreover, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s notice, about imminent creation of two new bases in Hungary and Slovakia, has not toned down some the clash: “Russia has long warned of the undesirability of the danger,” said Dmitri Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But it’s the renewed prominence of some NATO member countries in geopolitical context to stands out, despite other European chancelleries doubts, as Germany, which don’t want to treat Moscow like a permanent enemy and outside continental background.
From its viewpoint, Poland announced to allocate 30 billion euro for military update, as well as the cooperation with Sweden and the creation, by the end of 2015, of a “counter intelligence of excellence “, a training center to enhance counterintelligence skills.
Nonetheless, it was not only Putin behaviour in Ukraine to rekindle the antagonism between Moscow and its European neighbors. Indeed, Russia’s growing presence in the Arctic incited Norway to increase to 20 billion euro defense expenditure: “Our neighbor to the east has increased its military capacity, even in areas close to us. It’s been shown to be willing to use military force to achieve political ambitions, ” Norwegian Navy rumored.
The iron hand of Poland, Hungary and other Eastern European countries in hot issues such as immigration and relations with Russia, together with far-right organizations popularity, are again bringing Europe to a cold war hysteria, to which even a possible political solution to the war in Ukraine could not draw to close.
Central and Eastern Europe invasions, submissions and independence effects, during modern and contemporary ages, come to light in 2015. The Russian enemy and the desire of independence from Brussels, as demonstrated by the last Polish election, could undercut the weak international balance between West and Russia.
Giacomo Pratali
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