The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, otherwise known as NATO, is currently having issues involving Ukraine and Russia. Rumors are being spread about Russia ready to go to war with NATO using advanced weaponry because they believe that Ukraine will soon join NATO forcing Russia’s hand. Since June of 2023, there has been speculation about NATO and Russia preparing for a World War, but nothing has yet to be confirmed or put into action until early-mid January of 2024. NATO has recently come out to ask their 31 members and the citizens of those countries to prepare for a possible World War between all of NATO and Russia. This is because it was said in a press meeting that World War 3 could possibly be put into action in as early as a year or as late as 5 years since NATO is considering bringing in Ukraine even though they are currently at war with Russia.
If you remember back in June of 2023 when Ukraine and Russia were first going at war with one another, that is when all of this World War concern first arised. Joe Biden, the current president of the United States, in a recent press conference mentioned that NATO is still planning to stay out of Ukraine’s differences with Russia. He then goes on to say if Russian forces were to send out an attack on NATO they would not hesitate to go to war and Russia would be paying a “severe price”.
During an exclusive interview between CNN and Joe Biden, he stated, “Ukraine is not yet ready for NATO membership, saying that Russia’s war in Ukraine needs to end before the alliance can consider adding Kyiv to its ranks.” Furthermore, Biden expresses that if Ukraine were to ever join NATO during the war, they have already agreed to use every inch of allied territory to go to war with Russia.
Over the course of the next six months NATO will be taking 90,000 soldiers split between their allies as well as Sweden for training in the event of a World War. These tests will include various strategies that they have recently come up with to deploy their troops faster as well as strengthen their defenses for incoming attacks. It is speculated that these tests will last up until June because the “Steadfast Defender” exercise will be the largest one since the “Reforger” exercise done back in 1988. It is also assumed to take around six months because the soldiers have to do live exercises across many unique geographical locations.
These exercises will take place in various locations with many vehicles including more than 1000 combat vehicles, over 150 tanks, around 400 armored personnel carriers, and will include around 50 naval assets. Officials also mentioned this exercise being primarily based upon a “fictitious Article 5 scenario” which is “triggered by a fictitious attack against the alliance launched by a near-peer adversary”. NATO officials end off with expressing how this war between Russia and Ukraine can help them better understand conflicts for the future and also how they are watching this conflict very closely to not only refine their “training, capabilities, and innovation” but also to “improve their readiness”(source).
Whilst all of this chaos and uncertainty is coursing through NATO’s veins the election is still taking its course. This has led to some candidates including Donald Trump to speak about the possible war and try to persuade frightened citizens to vote for them because they can “save everyone” or “restore peace”. Recently, Donald Trump, former president of the United States and current presidential candidate, traveled to Florida for a press conference with his loyal followers to speak about what he will do about the possible World War, “I make you this promise as your president. . . I will restore peace through strength. . . I am the only one that will prevent World War III”.
Moreover, John Wood Jr., a writer for USA Today, explains that although Donald Trump may not be the best choice for president he isn’t wrong about the impending war that is staring right at NATO. He also goes on to say that the United States has not only been slow when it comes to realizing this war is closer than we all anticipated, but also that, “we are even slower to understand that the chance of such conflict rise the more divided the American people are at home.”
If we can’t even unanimously decide on who we should have lead us through these unthinkable times then it seems impossible to stop/prevent a war that is already on its way.
As mentioned above, NATO means the North Atlantic Treaty Organization which is a military alliance that was created from the Washington Treaty dating back to April of 1949. NATO’s original purpose was to create a balance or stability to the Soviet armies that were stationed in central and eastern Europe post World War II. These alliances involved Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Iceland, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Luxembourg, United States, as well as the United Kingdom. Over time more and more countries began to join NATO including Greece, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Albania, Finland, etc. to create what we know NATO to be today. The true promise of NATO is currently most present in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty which states that,
“An armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all; and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense . . . will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area,”
The first time in recorded history where NATO put article 5 in effect was on September 11, 2001 when Saudi Arahian’s hijacked three planes with civilians on board and sent them into the twin towers, the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon which ended up killing around 3 thousand people.
For further information regarding NATO, how it started, how they operate, their morals, and more, please visit this article.
