NATO and G7 summits have successively held "shows" of unity, which can hardly hide contradictions and differences

World Weekly丨NATO and G7 summits have successively held "shows" of unity, which can hardly hide contradictions and differences

　　Recently, the summits of Western countries can be said to be one after another.

On June 24, the EU summit just ended, and this week, the G7 summit and the NATO summit opened one after another.

　　The Associated Press commented that the three summits tested the unity of the West, and the issue of Ukraine was the key to "unity".

　　Indeed, these series of summits seem to be trying their best to "show unity" by "anti-Russian".

However, the embarrassing scenes one after another during the summit revealed contradictions and differences that were difficult to conceal.

The NATO summit has come to an end, and Biden once again "slips the tongue" and makes a joke

　　On June 30, local time, the two-day NATO summit concluded in Madrid, Spain.

　　At the press conference after the summit, US President Biden almost made an "international joke" because of a "slip of the tongue".

US PRESIDENT BIDEN:

(President of Finland) suggested that we have a phone call with the Swiss head of state.

Switzerland, oh my gosh.

I'm so excited about NATO expansion, I should be talking about Sweden.

　　The so-called "NATO expansion" that makes Biden so excited refers to the fact that there are finally no obstacles on the road of "joining the treaty" between Finland and Sweden.

　　On June 29, just four hours before the NATO summit, Turkey changed its position of "resolute opposition" and "gives the green light" for the two countries to join NATO after signing the three-country memorandum with Sweden and Finland.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg:

As a result of our joint efforts, Turkey has agreed to support Finland and Sweden in joining NATO.

　　Subsequently, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg announced in the communique that NATO member states have formally agreed to invite Sweden and Finland to join NATO.

Finnish President Niinisto said that Finland and Sweden will sign the "Accession" protocol by July 5 at the latest.

　　In the view of Qatar Al Jazeera, this "breakthrough" is conducive to NATO's "united front" against Moscow to the outside world.

NATO summit ends, Turkey declares 'diplomatic victory'

　　But in the eyes of Turkish President Erdogan, this is more like a "diplomatic victory" for Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan:

There is no doubt that for Turkey, this memorandum (with Finland and Sweden) is our diplomatic victory after difficult negotiations.

　　By "diplomatic victory" Erdogan was referring to expanding international cooperation against the PKK.

　　The PKK has always been a confidant of Erdogan's government.

　　Turkey has designated the party a terrorist organization, calling the 2016 "Gulen Movement" an attempted coup.

　　According to a statement issued by the Turkish President's Office, in the three-way memorandum signed this time.

Sweden and Finland pledged to "fully cooperate" with Turkey against the PKK and its affiliates. They also pledged not to support the PKK, the Syrian Kurdish armed "People's Protection Units" and the "Gulen Movement", and they will lift sanctions against Turkey. arms export restrictions.

　　According to Agence France-Presse, after the signing of the memorandum, Turkey has requested the extradition of 33 "terrorist suspects" from Sweden and Finland, who are either members of the PKK or members of the "Gulen Movement".

　　In this regard, Egypt's "Izvestia" commented, "The Kurds have once again become the biggest victims of behind-the-scenes transactions."

　　And like many behind-the-scenes deals on the international stage, this deal also has the shadow of the United States.

　　According to CNN, at a critical moment in the negotiations, "US President Biden made a phone call to Turkish President Erdogan." This cleared the way for Finland and Sweden to enter the treaty.

　　Some analysts pointed out that Turkey’s sudden turn to agree to join NATO with Sweden and Finland may be related to the military cooperation between the United States and Turkey.

　　At the press conference after the NATO summit, Biden made it clear that the U.S. government supports the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey "without quid pro quo".

US President Biden:

We should sell them fighter jets and support the modernization of their military aircraft.

NATO singles out 'hostile' relationship with Russia

　　In addition to promoting the "northern expansion", this NATO summit also directly pointed out the "hostile" relationship with Russia.

NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg:

Today, leaders approved NATO's new strategic concept.

　　On June 29, the NATO Summit adopted the "NATO Strategic Concept 2022".

As a programmatic document guiding the development of NATO, since the NATO Rome Summit in 1991 adopted the "New Strategic Concept of the Alliance", NATO has updated its strategic concept many times.

　　Twelve years ago, in a 2010 strategic concept, NATO described its relationship with Russia this way:

"We want to see a real strategic partnership between NATO and Russia"

　　In the 2022 new version of the strategic concept, Russia has been called

　　In addition, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg also said that in order to deal with the Russian threat, NATO will expand the rapid response force from more than 40,000 to no less than 300,000.

　　During the meeting with Stoltenberg, US President Biden also announced new military deployments, including: two additional F-35 squadrons to the UK, more destroyers to Spain, and increased air defenses to Germany and Italy , will deploy 3,000 soldiers in Romania, and plan to establish a military headquarters in Poland, which is the first time the United States has established a permanent military base in Eastern Europe after the Cold War.

Hodges, former U.S. Army Commander in Europe:

This move is telling our allies that we will not leave, and it is also telling the Russians that we will not leave.

　　For the seemingly lively developments at the NATO summit, Russia's response has been calm.

Russian President Vladimir Putin:

Regarding Sweden and Finland, we do not have the same problems with Ukraine as we do with these two countries.

There are no territorial issues and disputes between us, and we have no worries about them joining NATO.

They want to join, so please.

The only thing both countries have to understand is that before, they would not have faced threats, and now, if NATO deploys military contingents and military installations in both countries, we will have to retaliate.

'NATO today is falling apart'

　　In contrast, seeing NATO's northward expansion, Finland, Sweden, and Turkey all got what they wanted, and Ukraine responded more violently.

　　In a video speech at the NATO summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized NATO's open-door policy towards Ukraine as being as difficult to open as "the old Kyiv subway turnstile".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky:

We need security, you need to find a place for Ukraine in the common security space.

　　Although the United States claimed at the NATO summit that more than 50 countries have given Ukraine more military aid commitments.

However, the attitude of major European powers towards Ukraine has always been to regard it as a pawn.

　　French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the weapons provided by France to Ukraine can only be used to defend Ukraine, not to attack the Russian mainland.

　　British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said that Ukraine is unlikely to join NATO in the near future.

Turkish political party member Tashderen:

Although they want to create an illusion of unity, in fact, today's NATO is falling apart.

G7 summit with different concerns

　　Not only at the NATO summit, but also at the G7 summit a few days ago, the participating countries were united on the surface, but in fact "have their own concerns".

　　On June 26, local time, the G7 summit opened at the foot of the German ski resort Zugspitze.

　　Before the summit, US President Biden and British Prime Minister Johnson could not wait to reveal that the G7 would announce a ban on the import of Russian gold.

　　According to the White House, in recent years, gold has been Russia's second-largest export commodity after energy. In 2020, Russia's gold exports were close to $19 billion, of which 90% were exported to G7 countries.

Therefore, the G7 ban will cost Russia dearly.

　　However, today's Russian TV has corrected that Russia's second largest export product is not gold but agricultural products.

In 2021, Russian agricultural exports will exceed $37 billion.

And, even if G7 countries don't import gold from Russia, Russia can find other buyers.

　　Peter Schiff, a U.S. economist and president of Euro Pacific Capital, also warned that a gold ban against Russia could backfire again, costing the U.S. dearly.

　　In addition to continuing sanctions against Russia, U.S. President Biden also announced a global infrastructure plan at the G7 summit.

US President Biden:

Today, we officially launch the "Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership" program.

The program has carried out dozens of projects around the world.

I am proud to announce that the United States will mobilize $200 billion in public and private funding over the next five years.

　　However, the outside world is not optimistic about this global infrastructure plan.

Promises keep on but lip service doesn't come true

　　The "Los Angeles Times" commented that considering that many countries are facing serious inflation, the funding commitments of the United States or other G7 countries are likely to be empty words.

　　Moreover, although Biden has repeatedly called for "unity", he cannot cover up the "mindful thinking" of each member state.

　　On June 26, when the G7 leaders took a group photo, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was rushing to shake his wit again.

UK PM Johnson:

Shall we take off our shirts?

Too hot, we gotta show, stronger than Putin (pectoral muscles).

　　Obviously, Johnson's words were "mocking" Putin's 2009 photo of a topless horseback riding.

　　Soon, Putin also responded at the press conference.

Russian President Vladimir Putin:

I don't know how they (G7 leaders) want to undress.

Is it off to the waist or below the waist.

But that scene makes me sick.

　　On June 27, a "whisper" during the G7 summit was made public by the media.

French President Emmanuel Macron:

I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. President.

I just got on the phone with the President of the UAE and asked them to increase production.

He told me two things, one is that they are already at maximum capacity; the other is that he told me that Saudi Arabia can increase it a little, about 150,000 barrels per day, or a little more, but they are also almost close to their capacity.

Sullivan, assistant to the president for national security affairs:

Maybe we should go in and talk, there are cameras here.

　　The US "New York Post" believes that in Sullivan's view, this "whisper" about the limited increase in oil is bad news and cannot be heard by the media.

　　"Senior Biden aide interrupts Macron for giving bad news about the oil crisis."

　　Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, believed to be the only two producers in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with significant spare capacity, could moderate the rise in international oil prices if they boosted oil export deliveries.

　　But with the two countries unable to significantly increase production capacity in the short term, France's call for a push to "diversify supply" of energy, including the return of Iran and Venezuela, which have been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union, returned to the international oil market, but the initiative did not receive more support.

　　The current crisis, lack of skills to deal with, the US "Politico" news network criticized that from all aspects, the G7 summit is a "cocoon" failed summit.

　　The report pointed out that although G7 leaders boasted of reaching an unprecedented common goal, they have actually made no progress on issues such as the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, food shortages, and soaring energy costs.

Influenced by domestic electoral politics, the solutions proposed by leaders are often self-defeating and contradictory.

Stephen Axl-Kleichel, head of the German branch of the international organization "One":

The G7 summit seven years ago was also held at the Ermau Palace in Germany.

At the time, the Group of Seven made a grand promise, saying it would gradually lift 500 million people out of hunger.

Sadly, not only has the promise not been fulfilled, but now the situation has even worsened.

Globally, 153 million more people are at risk of hunger in 2022.

So the most important thing is not to make a promise, but to actually implement it behind the camera, using financial resources or other tools to implement the promise.

The much-maligned G7 and NATO

　　For NATO, criticism is equally incessant.

　　During the NATO summit, the "Washington Post" commented: Even if there is an "enemy" now, NATO has been divided.

　　According to a Pew Center poll, people in NATO's 30 member states now have widely divergent views of NATO.

　　Since 2021, in Poland, the public support rate for NATO has reached as high as 89%. At the same time, the public support rate for NATO in Greece, Italy, France and other countries has dropped significantly.

In Greece, only 33 percent support NATO.

"Anti-NATO, Anti-Cold War" platform member Garcia:

While they were preparing for the war summit, we were organizing the peace summit.

We think it's important to tell the public that there are alternatives to this Cold War mentality.

Oberg, founder of independent think tank TTF:

No one has done long-term results analysis, and no one has asked whether NATO is still an organization worth joining after so many years since 1949.

NATO has proven to be unable to deliver to the taxpayer what it was nominally promised—stability, peace, security.

We are in the worst crisis since NATO was created.

We have to ask ourselves, who caused this (Russian-Ukrainian) conflict?

　　On July 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the ninth Belarus and Russia Regional Forum that a series of moves by NATO will further accelerate the integration process between Russia and Belarus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin:

Unprecedented political and sanctions pressure from the so-called Western collective drives us to accelerate the integration process.

　　The Russian Foreign Minister said that the new "Iron Curtain" has been lowered, and this time the "Iron Curtain" was established by Western countries.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov: The

(Iron Curtain) is falling, they (Western countries) themselves have to be careful not to be trapped.

　　Despite NATO leaders' claims that NATO is the guardian of global peace and human security.

But looking back on history, it is not difficult to find that since the establishment of NATO, it has participated in many wars and conflicts.

　　Recently, the American "Foreign Policy" magazine wrote that "NATO is out of shape and outdated."

　　And MEP Claire Daly criticized: "The existence of NATO will only bring more problems."

　　History has proven that the Cold War mentality and group confrontation, which should have been eliminated for a long time, will only exacerbate the security challenges facing the world, and will also make the world increasingly lose interest.