Selenskyj warns: Russia's military threat in Belarus is growing!

Selenskyj warns: Russia's military threat in Belarus is growing!

Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj urgently warned of Russia's military preparations during the Munich Security Conference. He reported that Ukraine received the intelligence of Russia's troops to Belarus in the summer. These developments give rise to concern and are considered part of a more comprehensive strategy for escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Selenskyj said that the Russian armed forces, who are already in Belarus, are declared there as a military exercise, and there is a suspicion that they represent a similar preparation as to the invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

worrying is the uncertainty about the direction of the troop march. Selenskyj found that he currently does not perceive peace signals from Moscow, which also complicated the Situation. Belarus, which borders on three NATO countries, is increasingly seen as a strategic mainstay for Russian military operations. The stationing of Russian rocket systems and the possibility of stationing nuclear weapons in Belarus further increase the tensions.

demands of Russia

As the Fuldaer Zeitung reports, Wladimir Putin has in the past addressed clear demands to NATO and the USA. These demands include an immediate end of military actions in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries as well as the waiver of further NATO east expansion. Putin has also requested the withdrawal of all US atom weapons from third countries, including Germany. Despite these demands, NATO rejected a large part of the Russian claims and emphasized the need to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine.

Selenskyj appealed to the western partners to prepare for possible measures against an upcoming attack. The military potential of Russia, which has raised between 75,000 and 100,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian border, is viewed by Western intelligence agencies as a serious threat. Similar developments were observed in 2014 when Russia supported the Crimea and supported separatists in eastern Ukraine.

historical context and the NATO Russia council

In order to better understand the current situation, it is important to look at the historical context. The NATO Russia basic file was signed in May 1997 and should lay the foundation for a stable partnership between NATO and Russia. Despite the maintenance of an agreement that was not binding under international law, Russia was obliged to violate other countries and to respect territorial integrity.

Over the years, the relationships between NATO and Russia have remained tense. The NATO Russia Council, which became створена to have regular conversations, has only been very rare since the annexation of the Crimea. While Russia has no veto right to re -accept new members in NATO, every expansion to the east will continue to be critically observed by Moscow.

The times when Russia under President Boris Jelzin had a waiting attitude for the NATO east expansion are long gone. The complex dynamics between NATO countries and Russia remains tense, and given the military activities on the borders of Ukraine and Belarus, the risk of further escalation of the conflict is always present.