“Prepare for war” – US urges NATO allies

The United States has called on NATO countries to accelerate their defence preparations and military production capabilities in response to a possible Russian attack.

TodayPress TV reports that US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker made the remarks in an interview with USA Today.

He said it was impossible to predict in advance when or what move Russian President Vladimir Putin might make. Therefore, according to Whitaker, NATO countries must be prepared for a possible attack and have sufficient military capabilities to deter Russia from taking such a step.

Whitaker noted that Russia’s war against Ukraine is a serious warning for NATO countries. He said the alliance members should increase military exercises, invest more in defence capabilities and accelerate the production of weapons and ammunition.

According to reports, leaked US intelligence assessments suggest that Russia could carry out a limited attack against one of the NATO member states in the coming years, including a ground incursion or cyberattack. The assessment has raised concerns among some European officials.

Last year, NATO countries agreed to allocate 5% of their gross domestic product to defence by 2035. Of this, 3.5% is to be allocated directly to military spending, while the remainder is intended for infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and airports.

US officials believe NATO countries should reach these targets more quickly, citing Russia’s rapid expansion of its military production capabilities.

Max Bergmann, a representative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Russia was operating on a “war footing”, while NATO countries were largely functioning with peacetime economies.

Meanwhile, the unexpected visit by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow at the end of August has also caused concern within NATO. According to reports, Ratcliffe warned Russia against attacking NATO territory.

Russia, however, has denied reports that it is preparing an attack on NATO. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reports were “not based on reality” and did not reflect Russia’s intentions.

US President Donald Trump also said on August 27 that Putin would not attack NATO territory.

Nevertheless, European officials appear to believe that Russia is already carrying out hybrid operations against NATO countries. Officials in Germany, Romania and Estonia have pointed to Russia’s possible role in recent drone incidents.

Experts believe Russia is currently not interested in entering into direct confrontation with NATO because of the war in Ukraine. However, the threat could increase if the war ends and the Russian military is reorganized.

Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker, meanwhile, believes Russia could need three to five years after the end of the fighting in Ukraine to carry out a major military operation against NATO.

Michael Kofman, an expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said it would be more accurate to discuss “when” Russia’s military forces could be rebuilt.

According to him, Russia has already gained significant experience in drones, precision strike capabilities and new military technologies.

Jala Rovshan