The War will not end with Russian control of Ukraine: it is the beginning

Written by – Elijah J. Magnier:

“It is time for the US nuclear weapons in Europe to return back to America.” The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov summed up the Russian roadmap beyond Ukraine. This means that the Russian battle has begun because America has strategic nuclear forces in NATO bases spread across the European continent, including Turkey (which possesses fifty nuclear bombs at the Incirlik base under US ‘control’). Seemingly, the options ahead are much more defiant and complex than a « simple » war on Ukraine because the countries that Russia said should be denuclearised are NATO members.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was created in 1949 by the US, Canada and other European countries to provide security against the Soviet Union and combat communism. In reaction to the integration of West Germany into NATO in 1955, the Warsaw Pact (the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania) was created. Following the end of the Cold War between the Soviets and the US, the Warsaw Pact was dissolved, but NATO was not. Several former Warsaw Pact members joined NATO after March 1999, notwithstanding the promises (which were neither treaties nor signed agreements) given by western officials, mainly the US, that NATO won’t expand “one inch eastward”. 

Russia spent the last two decades building its strength and believed itself ready to confront the US in asking it to drop its spread of nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union European countries. NATO claims to defend its members and protect European allies against missile threats outside the Euro-Atlantic area. However, the UN security council did not authorise the US occupation of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Syria. The US (and its allies) doesn’t heed or need any authorisation to use its deadly force anywhere it chooses in the world. Therefore, NATO can only be an advanced US base in Europe, keeping the European leaders within its “club” under control and rallying behind the US objectives. Indeed, the US – conveniently – evoked Monroe’s 1823 doctrine, which told European countries how to handle their foreign affairs. Because of the US expansionist policy in Europe, Russia has decided that it has the power and will use it to stop it before it is too late.

It is not difficult to ascertain whether Minister Lavrov is raising the ceiling of Russian demands and is serious about revealing Russia’s insistent requests for the US disarmament of dozens of bases spread across Europe. Indeed, this fits with President Vladimir Putin’s demands, who requested, before the war began, that NATO return to what it was before 1997, that is, with only 12 members and the exit of the 16 members (excluding Turkey) who joined subsequently, from 1999 and until 2020.

It is unclear how President Putin intends to implement his goals, even if he seems serious. Thus, he asked his strategic nuclear force to be fully prepared in response to the West’s call to arm Ukraine and provide it with more weapons to prolong the war.

It is to be noted from the statements of Russian leaders that they are fully prepared for confrontation and solidarity behind President Vladimir Putin, contrary to what President Joe Biden would prefer. The US is trying to show the war as if it were one person’s decision, the Russian president alone, as previous US Presidents did in Iraq (Saddam Hussein’s regime) and Syria (President Bashar al-Assad’s regime). The terminology “Putin’s regime” is now widely used.