“We cannot predict exactly what Putin is planning. But we all view the stationing of Russian troops in Belarus with considerable concern.“
(Photo: Reuters)
The US government is considering moving additional troops to Eastern Europe. The US Ambassador to NATO, Julianne Smith, announced this in an interview with the Handelsblatt. “We are considering additional steps to show even more presence along the entire eastern flank.” This is the American response to Moscow’s recognition of two breakaway eastern Ukrainian provinces.
The treaties with Russia, which do not allow NATO troops to be stationed permanently in Eastern Europe, may be lapsed, Smith said. “Given the current situation, we have to ask ourselves whether we should continue to abide by a treaty that the Russians are breaking.”
The US diplomat, who is one of President Joe Biden’s closest foreign policy advisors, praised the federal government’s decision to stop the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline: “Germany did the right thing.”
At the same time, Smith called on Berlin to increase defense spending: “Burden sharing in the alliance remains a top priority for the United States.”
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Ms. Smith, the federal government has stopped the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea. A decision that is long overdue from the US perspective?
Washington welcomes the Berlin decision. We have been working closely with our allies, including Germany, on a number of steps we could take if Russia invades Ukraine further. Following Russia’s recognition of the so-called republics of Donetsk and Luhansk and reports of troop deployments to the regions, the time has come to resort to the list of consequences. Nord Stream 2 was on it. Germany did the right thing.
However, the threat of sanctions has failed to achieve its actual goal – to deter Russia from aggression.
Russia has not yet fully invaded Ukraine. Let’s wait and see what President Putin does next. What we’ve seen so far is just the beginning. The White House will make other decisions.
Is a diplomatic solution to the conflict still realistic?
We made proposals and tried to negotiate through every possible channel. But Putin doesn’t seem interested in dialogue and de-escalation at the moment.
How will NATO react?
All 30 allies have condemned Russia’s actions as a violation of international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity. And we started talking about what additional measures we need to take to fortify NATO’s eastern flank.
What exactly do you have in mind – more troop deployments?
Exactly. The United States has already sent several thousand additional troops to Central and Eastern Europe. Many other European countries have done the same. The Netherlands, Denmark, France, Spain, Britain and Germany have already taken steps to strengthen the eastern flank. But we’re looking at additional steps to add even more presence to the entire East Flank.
Has the NATO Founding Act become obsolete? On the one hand, the treaty limits the stationing of NATO troops in Eastern Europe and, on the other hand, it obliges Russia to cooperate peacefully.
I don’t have a definitive answer to that. But given the current situation, we have to ask ourselves whether we should continue to abide by a treaty that the Russians are breaking.
Do you fear that the conflict will spread to NATO territory?
We cannot predict exactly what Putin is planning. But we all view the stationing of Russian troops in Belarus with considerable concern. Belarus borders on three NATO countries. We are also concerned about the possibility of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We are preparing for all conceivable scenarios, whether it is Russian troops advancing on NATO territory or hybrid Russian measures such as cyber attacks.
What does the USA expect from its allies, especially from Berlin?
There are three key questions for us: First, what do Ukrainians need now, how can we help them? Secondly, how can we keep our security promises for all 30 NATO partners? Third, we must reflect on how recent events are undermining the fundamental principles on which the transatlantic security architecture rests. The question is: What additional action do we need to take as an alliance to improve NATO’s ability to respond to challenges such as hybrid tactical measures and the movement of Russian troops to NATO’s border areas? We are at a turning point.
The NATO partners have agreed to increase defense spending “in the direction” of two percent of GDP. Berlin is far from that. Are you asking for more?
Yes, burden-sharing in the alliance remains a top US priority. Many allies have presented plans to reach the two percent target by 2024. Germany has also done a lot. But we want it to hit the two percent mark.
The United States recently insisted that NATO also focus on China. Is this realignment now passé?
Absolutely not. For the USA it is clear: of course we have to keep an eye on Russia. But at the same time, the Alliance must be mindful of what China is doing in and around the Euro-Atlantic space. China’s investments in Europe could create security vulnerabilities. China also uses malicious influence campaigns to shape political attitudes – and thereby influence government policy decisions. That worries us.
Russia and China have recently approached each other. Is a counter-alliance to the West forming?
We consider the joint statement by China and Russia to be worrying. What we are seeing is that both powers are learning from each other, such as how to use disinformation. The document also opposes NATO enlargement, so China and Russia pose a direct challenge to NATO. We need to keep an eye on how this relationship develops.
More: The false hope of the Nord Stream 2 stop: why the threats of punishment miss their target