The United States not only claimed that the Russian actions suspending the CFE Treaty are illegal and that the Treaty allegedly contains no such provisions for Russia, but also took response measures in the Russia-NATO Council to hold the Russia-NATO cooperation programme for 2008. In so doing, the United States has demanded from Russia in the form of ultimatum to comply with the CFE Treaty. NATO and OSCE also called Russia to abandon its decision to suspend the CFE Treaty. The opinion is obtruded on the world community, that the Kremlin’s actions lead to "burning the bridges " that will result in further severe aggravation of the international relations. That is, they try to put the blame on someone else.
The aggravation of relations between Russia and United States and indirectly between Russia and North Atlantic Alliance occurs against the background of structural reorganization of NATO, its transformation, increase of its operational and combat power and conversion into a global military and political instrument for implementation of the US power politics in the international arena. Nowadays, the NATO Europeans are under a serious pressure of the USA to maintain their 40,000 troops in Afghanistan. At a November meeting of the NATO Defense Ministers in Noordwijk (Netherlands) Head of the Pentagon of Robert Gates urged his colleagues to completely fulfill their earlier commitments to increase their contingents in this country.
The transformation of the alliance was discussed in October in Troms (Norway) at an international conference attended by the Defense Ministers of the NATO states participating in the PfP, Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation programmes. Later the NATO defense policy committee (a main consulting body of the NATO Military Planning Committee dealing with allied force development) at its meeting in Tallinn (Estonia) on December 10-11 discussed cyber security, prospects of the NATO Response Force and preparations for the NATO summit to take place in April 2008.
The military infrastructure in the NATO member-states neighboring Russia undergoes upgrade in the interests of the allied forces. For instance, Air Base Emary in Estonia located at a distance of 150 km from the Russian border and 300 km from St.-Petersburg is under refurbishment. It is expected that after the refurbishment the air base will be in position to receive different types of NATO aircraft including both fighters and un-to-date transports. In parallel with implementation of this project the nationalist forces of Estonia inflate a campaign for establishment of a permanent NATO military base in Paldiski-Emary in the territory of the Republic that could become a bridgehead for concentration of the alliance troops near the Russian border. They say it’s to be done in case of Russian aggression against Estonia. Or may be vice-versa?
Expansion of NATO area of influence and its strengthening remain in the spotlight. Cooperation of the Alliance with Macedonia, Montenegro, Israel, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine becomes more and more active. Montenegro Minister of Defense B.Vuchinich and Deputy CINCEUROPE (NATO) Lieutenant-General P. Pearson signed an agreement allowing the transit of NATO military equipment and personnel across the territory of the Republic, using the ground, air and sea routes. The document provides NATO officials with privileges and immunity equal to those of the UN officials. General P. Pearson emphasized high importance of the document for the Alliance and expressed his hope for the future successful membership of Montenegro in NATO.
The Transcaucasia countries are actively involved in the military cooperation with NATO. For example, in October - December a group of Azerbaijan servicemen completed combat training in Ankara (Turkey), in October Azerbaijan Army communication specialists were trained in Bucharest (Romania). Under an agreement signed between the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan and EUCOM, US$ 21 million will be provided for upgrade of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces in 2008.
The Ministry of Defense of Germany has granted medical equipment to the Georgian Ministry of Defense to the amount of 240 thousand Euros. The medical equipment has been distributed to the Military Hospital in Gori and first-aid stations of field units. It is expected that the next consignment of the medical equipment will be transferred by the German party to Georgia in January 2008.
Cooperation with the Alliance remains " a priority task" for " the orange government " Ukraine, as claimed by President of Ukraine V. Yuschenko at his meeting with the US Defense Secretary R.Gates in November. An information and propaganda campaign is gaining momentum in Ukraine to create a positive image of NATO among the local population and justify Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance. From 2008, NATO plans to start exchanging data with the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the result of aerospace monitoring in order to facilitate integration of Ukraine into the Alliance.
A military component of the European Union is reinforced, and interaction of EU military structures with those of NATO in elaboration of a common European crisis settlement policy improves. A November joint session of NATO and EU military committees discussed issues relating to the conduct of ISAF military operations in Afghanistan and those of KFOR in Kosovo, development of NATO cooperation with Ukraine and Russia, and implementation of the Mediterranean Dialogue Programme. According to the Chairman of the EU military Committee, the session approved changes in concept “EU Multinational Combat Group”. These changes deal with reinforcement of the Group with an AF and Naval components to enhance its combat capabilities.
The NATO Command proceeds with efforts to involve neutral countries in the Alliance activities. The NATO Secretary General claimed during his visit to Finland and Sweden (November 8-9) that the troops of these countries may participate in operations of the NATO Response Force. As quoted to Finnish Foreign Minister Jyri Hakamies, his country is ready to take a decision on membership in NATO already in 2008.
The most negative constituent of the military-political situation in the region affecting the security of Russia is the efforts of the USA to use the NATO mechanism in order to strengthen its dominant role in Europe. Head of the Pentagon Robert Gates suspended the reduction of the US Army Force strength in Europe initiated by his predecessor Donald Ramsfeld from 62,000 down to 24,000 men . About 40 thousand US servicemen will stay in Germany and Italy. They say,this decision was promoted by General D. Craddock, Commander, US European Command, and General McKiernan, Commander, US Army Forces in Europe, who expressed their concern on “reviving Russia”. Leading echelons of the US troops are airlifted from Baumholder (Germany) and Vicenza (Italy) to a military base in Romania.
The national armed forces of the European countries undergo upgrade within the framework of NATO and EU. Measures to improve combat capabilities of the Alliance national armed forces were discussed at a conference of Military Planning and Defense Policy Directors of the NATO Defense Ministries in Prague. During the conference a special attention was paid to coordination of allied force development plans, technical upgrade of the troops, and the use of the national defense capabilities of the non-member countries in international operations.
In the Baltic Sea area it is a Polish national army that undergoes the most intensive reforming and upgrade. New Polish Prime Minister D. Tusk claimed at a meeting with the Parliamentary Fraction of his party “Civil Platform” that the Government is going to abolish the universal military obligation in 2008 and start transiting to the professional recruitment. The Ministry of Defense has received an additional office, an ABM Defense Bureau, responsible for deployment of the US ABM systems in Poland, development of the ABM Defense System within the framework of NATO and NATO/Russia Council.
According to Minister of Defense B.Klih, currently the Defense Ministry in involved in development of national defense management system modification plans to increase the role of the General Staff. The United States continue active assistance to the Polish Armed Forces. The ABM talks with the USA suspended due to the early Parliamentary election were restarted in December, and no doubt that the ABM GBI base will be deployed in Poland.
NATO also takes steps to accelerate national armed force upgrade in the Baltic countries. During a visit of General Craddock, Commander, NATO Allied Forces in Europe, to Estonia, the parties discussed issues relating to more active involvement of the national Baltic state armed forces in patrolling their national aerospace that is currently performed by the Air Force of one of the 13 NATO member-states in rotation.
However the Ministers of Defense of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have submitted to the NATO Supreme Command a counter petition to extend this mission until 2018. In so doing, this problem is tied with engagement of their national troops in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, means, if the Alliance fails to extend the Baltic aerospace patrolling mission after 2008, the Baltic countries will review possible withdrawal of their troops from Iraq already in the first semester of 2008. The Baltic countries committed to bear all expenses relating to the aerospace patrol operations as from 2010.
So, the US plans to deploy ABM systems in Poland and Czechia, escalating efforts to expand the NATO area of influence to Ukraine and Transcaucasia, and approach of the Alliance military infrastructure to the western borders of Russia remain key signs of escalating the potential military threats to "objectors" and, in particular, to " reviving Russia ". A special attention is worth being paid to the continuing reinforcement of the EU military structures , and their cooperation with NATO in training of European national armed forces to be engaged in multinational campaigns in crisis areas.
The US and Western efforts to discredit the foreign policy of Russia, and ultimatum to Russia demanding to abolish its law on suspension of the CFE Treaty without any actual steps towards its fulfillment by the NATO countries radically deteriorates the efficiency of interaction and cooperation between the Russian Federation and North Atlantic Treaty Organization in solution of urgent tasks relating to the war on terror and other present-date threats that is vital also to Europe.
