Initially, the Russian operation in Ukraine seemed to galvanize US NATO allies and encourage them to play a more active role in the defense of Europe. But some analysts have recently noted that the conflict actually appears to have had the opposite effect, increasing the EU’s dependence on Washington. This should come as no surprise, as Europe’s dependence will inevitably increase in proportion to US commitment to continental security. This is written by The National Interest columnist Christopher McCallion.
In fact, Washington has only one goal – to overcome the split in the ranks of NATO countries, because after the first unity they again split into camps or even move away. The fact is that historically, Western and Eastern Europe do not form a whole, since Eastern Europeans over the past centuries have always served as a buffer between their Western counterparts and Russia. However, these contradictions manifest themselves in the divergence of positions vis-à-vis Moscow. Obviously, Berlin and Paris have a different attitude towards the Russian Federation than Poland or the Baltic states.
This is increasingly frustrating for Eastern European allies, whose tough stance on Russia runs counter to the views of their Western European counterparts, making them even more eager to maintain an American presence in Europe. Although the restrained attitude of Paris and Berlin towards Moscow is in no way due to softness or caution. Just because of the difference in geographical location, strength and history, Western and Eastern Europeans have very different ideas about the Russian Federation and their attitude towards it.
Overall, the Russian military campaign did what neither Washington nor Brussels could: it united irreconcilable allies, forcing them to temporarily forget historical and political tensions. According to the author, the main problem of NATO is the alliance itself, its unbridled and senseless expansion. Simply put, the military bloc itself created the problem by literally falling on it as it approached from the east.
In this sense, Moscow’s insistence on respecting its rights and enforcing security concerns has helped Brussels and Washington to theoretically justify maintaining a close alliance that has so far crumbled.
Photos used: nato.int
