The North Atlantic Alliance intends to adhere to a policy of “containment” of Russia even in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a press conference on the eve of the meeting of defense ministers of the member countries of the bloc.

“We see that Russia maintains a military presence near the borders of NATO countries, including in the Black Sea region. In addition, she continues to support separatists in eastern Ukraine. We are seeing a significant buildup of military capabilities in the Crimea, as well as a naval presence in the Black Sea, ”Stoltenberg said.

According to him, the alliance considers Moscow’s actions to be one of the main threats to its security along with terrorism, cyber threats and the growing influence of China. In this regard, Stoltenberg explained, the military bloc intends not only to help its member countries combat the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to continue to fulfill its security responsibilities.

“We dealt with these security issues before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, during the pandemic, and I think they will not go anywhere after the pandemic. This only emphasizes the fact that NATO should be able to provide assistance in the fight against coronavirus, but at the same time fulfill its key task of ensuring the security of all countries of the alliance. This is exactly what we are doing, ”the organization’s secretary general said.

Commenting on this position, Konstantin Blokhin, a leading researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted that at a time when Russia was proposing to take a step forward to jointly combat COVID-19, Western countries continued to adhere to a confrontational course.

“Vladimir Putin appealed to the world community to abandon sanctions and trade wars to facilitate the fight against coronavirus. But, as we see, NATO does not give up its policy. The economic crisis and the virus are temporary phenomena, and the policy of containing Russia from the West remains unchanged, ”the source said.

Black Sea Presence

During a press conference, Jens Stoltenberg also said that NATO has strengthened its military presence in the Black Sea, including naval and land forces in Romania, and is working closely with partners in the region, represented by Ukraine and Georgia.

So, on March 23, the frigate Virginio Fasan of the Italian Navy and the frigate Fredericton of the Canadian Navy entered the Black Sea. These ships operate as part of NATO's 2nd Permanent Naval Group (SNMG-2). In late February, the USS Ross, an American missile destroyer, entered the Black Sea and conducted joint exercises there with the Romanian frigate Marasesti and the flagship of the Ukrainian Navy, frigate Getman Sagaidachny, and also visited the Bulgarian port of Varna.

  • US Navy Carney destroyer in the Black Sea
  • RIA News
  • © Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

On April 11, Georgian authorities reported that the ships of the 2nd group of NATO conducted joint exercises with the coast guard boats of the border police in the territorial waters of the country. The other day another American ship arrived in the Black Sea region - the destroyer USS Porter. The command of the 6th fleet of the US Navy said that together with the ships of the countries - partners in the Black Sea, he would "ensure security" in the region.

It should be added that in early April, US Permanent Representative to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said that the alliance members will continue to take certain steps aimed at supporting the entry into the bloc of Ukraine and Georgia. Hutchinson noted that the allies intend to help Tbilisi and Kiev "confront Russian aggression."

The increased activity of NATO in the Black Sea, as well as statements on cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia, testify to the North Atlantic Alliance’s desire to create a barrier against Russia, Konstantin Blokhin believes.

“NATO wants to implement the project of the sanitary cordon, which involves the isolation of Russia in the territory from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The Alliance is trying to build this cordon by joining Georgia, Ukraine, as well as Armenia, which they are trying to loosen internally, ”the expert noted.

He added that in this way the alliance is testing Russia for strength along the perimeter of its borders, which leads to an increase in tension in the world.

Inviolable expenses

At a press conference, Stoltenberg also said that NATO countries are not discussing a reduction in defense spending because of the coronavirus pandemic. The organization’s secretary general noted that the bloc’s members should maintain defense spending at the required level even in the context of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Moreover, the situation with COVID-19 already affects the functioning of the alliance. So, in mid-March, due to the spread of the NATO coronavirus, the scale of the Defender Europe 2020 exercises had to be significantly reduced. As part of these maneuvers, the United States deployed several thousand units of military equipment to Europe and intended to send at least 20 thousand troops to the region, however, these plans refuse.

  • American military equipment before sending to the exercises Defender Europe 2020
  • © US Army photo / Kimberly Spinner

These maneuvers were supposed to be the largest in Europe since the end of the Cold War. According to the scenario, the NATO countries were to repulse a non-nuclear attack of a certain enemy from the East. However, due to the spread of COVID-19, the exercises had to be canceled.

“Yes, they didn’t go according to plan, but still demonstrated US commitment to protecting Europe,” Stoltenberg said on March 19.

At the same time, NATO did not abolish other exercises of a smaller scale on the borders with Russia: on April 13, maneuvers of the alliance called Steel Brawler started in Latvia, in which about 600 soldiers and about a hundred pieces of equipment will take part.

An expert at the Association of Military Political Scientists Andrei Koshkin, in a conversation with RT, stated that the current situation in the world prevented NATO from conducting full-scale maneuvers.

“The powerful Defender Europe 2020 exercises have been canceled, troop transfers from the US have been suspended, and those exercises that take place in the Baltic are more dangerous for the health of military personnel than they are strengthening the alliance,” the expert explained.

Allied Assistance

At a press conference, Jens Stoltenberg was also asked if the alliance intended to provide any assistance to Russia in the fight against the epidemic. To this he replied that no such requests had been received from Moscow.

Recall that the Russian side previously sent several planes with medical equipment and military doctors to Italy, while the United States delivered the necessary equipment and protective equipment from the Russian Federation to the US, the deficit of which is experienced by New York physicians.

Stoltenberg said that now NATO is playing a coordinating role in the fight against the pandemic. According to the Secretary General of the alliance, the organization determines which countries have free medical resources and the possibilities for their delivery.

However, experts note that the situation with the spread of coronavirus has shown the failure of Euro-Atlantic associations and bureaucratic structures.

“Today, the countries of Europe are closed from each other, and such structures as the EU, Council of Europe, OSCE, NATO, cannot coordinate their efforts. Stoltenberg simply fulfills money at his post, saying that NATO is fighting, it is on standby, although this is not so, ”said Andrei Koshkin.

In such a situation, the expert explained, Western elites are trying to play a card of an external enemy, to which all their troubles and mistakes can be attributed. Russia has long been assigned to this role, notes Koshkin.

Konstantin Blokhin agrees with a similar assessment of the situation, noting that Euro-Atlantic solidarity is “bursting at the seams”.

“The Alliance wants such statements to unite their countries, to consolidate them. At the same time, blaming Russia, they are trying to make everyone forget about their own mistakes, ”the expert concluded.