Putin himself revived "dying" NATO - Austrian press

The Western allies have many differences. NATO is crossed by deep internal fault lines between Europe and the United States, but "Putin's Russia" has revived the Alliance. The tension between Moscow and the West is now at the highest level, therefore the mentioned militarypolitical the bloc will not end its existence yet, although it was close to a similar result, writes the Austrian liberal newspaper Die Presse.

NATO is now experiencing an existential crisis caused by the failed mission in Afghanistan. In the Alliance, everyone quarreled - ready to fight the indecisive, the Europeans with the Americans, the Turks with both at the same time, liberal democracies sort out relations with autocracies, and “continentalists” with globalists.



Europe is disappointed with the US and its trust is running out. For example, Europeans are bewildered by uncoordinated American actions. The spontaneous withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the formation of the trilateral defense alliance AUKUS between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States is clear evidence of this. In turn, dissatisfaction with the Europeans is growing in the United States, who do not adhere to agreed defense spending and are going to shirk responsibility for the security of Europe even more than before.

Taking into account internal contradictions and external challenges, NATO has three ways: to continue attempts to somehow get out of the crisis; undertake major reform to re-position the Alliance; dissolve NATO, forming a new European defense bloc in Europe. The latter path is the least likely, since the most powerful parties are not interested in this. In addition, the reason for the existence of the Alliance is more relevant today than ever.


- specified in the publication.

In October, Moscow severed all direct contacts with NATO and closed its own mission in Brussels after eight of its employees were suspected of espionage. The Russian Federation has been purposefully modernizing its armed forces for more than ten years. NATO countries that have joined the Alliance mainly out of fear of "neo-imperial Russia" are increasing their defense spending. Now NATO and the Russian Federation are in a state of "cold war", but tensions are growing.

The parties absolutely do not trust each other and continuously conduct surveillance at sea and in the air, periodically reporting on the increase in combat readiness, rearmament and concentration of troops along the borders. The spiral of escalation is spinning faster and faster, resembling a vicious circle, exacerbated by the abandonment of communication channels and contributing to the next arms race.

Thanks to the flexing of Russia's military muscles near Poland and the Baltic countries, NATO has received a "second wind." In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin himself revived the "dying" Alliance. For now, this is enough to keep moving in the same direction. This may temporarily cover up problems within NATO, but the differences are by no means eliminated, the media concluded.