NATO's Strategic Response to Escalating Ukraine-Russia Conflict

The US State Department does not count on Ukraine's quick accession to NATO. Thus, an American high-ranking official doubts that this year the North Atlantic Alliance will consider Ukraine's accession. It is likely that the Alliance will return to this issue after the war. Currently, the main task for NATO countries is to provide Ukraine with weapons to fight against Russia.

When Ukraine joins NATO This year, Ukraine is unlikely to be invited to NATO at the anniversary summit in Washington, which marks 75 years of the alliance. This was stated by US State Department representative Daniel Saisek to Suspilne. He suggested that the issue of Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance would be discussed after the war.

NATO members know and understand that Ukrainians want to become a member of NATO as soon as possible. Frankly, this is not expected at the NATO summit this year... probably after the war.

However, Daniel Saisek assured that despite the differences among NATO members, the alliance's decision regarding Ukraine's accession remains unanimous. As an example, the official cited last year's NATO summit in Vilnius, where all alliance members reiterated that "Ukraine has a place in NATO".

However, now the priority is to provide Ukraine with assistance to defend against Russia.

NATO is preparing for war with Russia

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg believes that if Russia wins in Ukraine, Russian aggression could spread to other countries, so alliance members need to actively prepare for a possible decade-long confrontation.

This is stated in an article on the n-tv portal referring to Stoltenberg's interview for Welt am Sonntag.

Jens Stoltenberg believes that NATO should prepare for the possibility of prolonged confrontation with Russia.

"The alliance does not seek war with Russia. But we must prepare for a confrontation that could last for decades"
Stoltenberg said.

The Secretary-General once again called on allies to expand their defense industries to the maximum.

If Vladimir Putin wins in Ukraine, there are no guarantees that Russian aggression will not spread to other countries. Therefore, the best defense for the West now is to support Ukraine and invest in the Alliance's military potential.

He called for increased and accelerated orders for European defense companies, explaining that in a market economy, arms manufacturers need signed contracts to increase production.

Baltic countries strengthen borders

The Baltic countries are already preparing for a possible invasion by the Russian Federation, strengthening the thousands of kilometers of their eastern borders. This stretch is the most vulnerable military-wise flank of NATO.

The Baltic countries are strengthening their borders with the so-called "Baltic Defense Line", consisting of barriers and bunkers. This concerns the strengthening of the borders of three states - Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, namely with fortifications and the arrangement of over a thousand concrete bunkers. The fortified border will separate the Baltic countries from the Russian Federation, Belarus, and the militarized Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

It is noted that only Estonia plans to spend about 60 million euros on the construction of 600 such defensive structures along the border with Russia.