Former NATO Military Committee chair says ‘small Russian attack’ on Estonia wouldn’t trigger immediate armed response by alliance — Meduza
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s collective defense principle wouldn’t necessarily trigger an immediate armed response in the event of a “small attack” by Russia against a member like Estonia, Admiral Rob Bauer, former Chair of the NATO Military Committee, told the newspaper Die Welt in a June 23 interview. Bauer explained that a small Russian operation that does not threaten a member’s “overall territorial integrity” would leave “time for consultations” to weigh the question: “Do we want to start a war or not?”

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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s collective defense principle wouldn’t necessarily trigger an immediate armed response in the event of a “small attack” by Russia against a member like Estonia, Admiral Rob Bauer, former Chair of the NATO Military Committee, told the newspaper Die Welt in a June 23 interview. Bauer explained that a small Russian operation that does not threaten a member’s “overall territorial integrity” would leave “time for consultations” to weigh the question: “Do we want to start a war or not?”

Bauer also argued that “Putin doesn’t see NATO as an immediate threat,” pointing to Russia’s muted response to Finland joining the alliance and the largely rhetorical nature of the Kremlin’s nuclear threats.

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  • Hotznplotzn@lemmy.sdf.orgOPEnglish
    13·
    4 days ago

    ‘If Russia is coming, then we will bring the war to Russia’: Inside NATO’s muscular new deterrence plans

    At the NATO summit later this month, members will discuss not only increased defense budgets, but also new operational concepts to respond immediately to a Russian attack—including counterstrikes inside Russia—Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told Defense One at the GLOBSEC security conference.

    “The new concept is that if Russia is coming, then we will bring the war to Russia. That’s what we are talking about,” Tsahkna said. “We have no time then to discuss whether we can use one of the other weapons or whatever. We have no time. We need to act within the first minutes and hours.”

    Maybe this former Nato chief is out of date in the meantime?

    • plyth@feddit.orgEnglish
      9·
      4 days ago

      It’s manufactured rage. There is also EU article 42. Most countries don’t have the option to say no. He should know.