The summit of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) was held 8-9 July 2016 in Warsaw. This event political commentators have called the most important since the days of the Cold War. It should agree with this views, as a result of Russian aggression in Central Europe has been violated the principle of territorial integrity. Annexation of the Crimea and the military intervention in eastern Ukraine poses for NATO specific challenges: the transition from a partnership with Russia to policy of containment and further support Ukraine as an object of aggression.

 

The results of the Summit can be described by the following items:

• US and EU once again demonstrated political support for Ukraine, the need to restore its territorial integrity. Jens Stoltenberg stressed that “NATO does not recognize and will never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea”. In case this support for Ukraine is extremely important in view of the spread of slogans like “The West is tired of Ukraine” and “Nobody mentions about Crimea”;
• Approved the plan of deploying four international battalions on the Eastern side. There was identified country Framework (it is a country which directing its forces and carries battalion command) for Poland - the United States (about 1,000 US troops), for Lithuania - Germany (about 500 German military), for Latvia - Canada, for Estonia - Great Britain (about 500 troops). Also, French soldiers will enter the battalions under the command of the United Kingdom and Germany. According to NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg during the NATO Summit almost all member states have expressed their readiness in one or another way to participate in strengthening the eastern flank of the Alliance. The presence of battalions will continue as long as necessary. In the case of aggression against relevant states battalions’ international status will be automatically giveNATO members the right to consider this aggression against them;
• There was emphasized the countering aggression in cyberspace. NATO members have accepted the obligation of the defense of cyberspace, where this space is equivalent to the “real” with all its consequences;
• There was signed a declaration of cooperation between NATO and the EU to coordinate efforts to counter security threats. Donald Tusk said that “internal and external security - are closely related. In particular, our banks may be subject to attack, and citizens - become victims of an information campaign”;
• Russian Federation - №1 threat to NATO. This statement would lead to the further isolation of Russia and intensifying the policy of containment;
• The membership of Ukraine in NATO is not on the agenda. The main tasks are the modernization of the military industrial complex and the fight against corruption. As part of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership Ukraine will receive material, financial, advisory assistance in 40 directions;
• The announcement of the previous operational readiness of missile defense system Aegis Ashore, which means the actual adoption of the Alliance of the US to command and control of the missile defense system (consists of American ships in Spain, radars in Turkey and the launchers in Romania, another one launcher will be built in Poland). As E. Stoltenberg said, "the system we are building, completely focused on defense, it is a shield in case of an attack from outside the Euro-Atlantic area, and poses no threat to the Russian system of nuclear deterrence";
• The allied countries renewed its commitment not to reduce defense spending. According to the Secretary General of NATO, 2015 became the first for many years, when total defense expenditures of NATO slightly increased. In 2016 3% growth (8 billion. dollars USA) of defense spending is expected in European Member States and Canada.

Thus, the Russian aggression against Ukraine helped to restore the relevance of the collective security system. The increase of defense spending, placing four battalions on the eastern flank of NATO, providing Ukraine with diverse assistance and recognition, that Russia is the aggressor №1 in the world – these are the first notable counter-measures of NATO made at this Summit. In terms of the analysis, the reaction of Russia to the appropriate decisions, on which resolving of the conflict will largely depend, is interesting. Ukraine is expected to strengthen the defense, because in the case of further Russian aggression Ukrainians should rely on themselves.

Mykola Nazarov

Head of the Centre