NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivers a speech at Warsaw University
In as little as few days NATO summit will be held in Warsaw. Symbolically, the decisions which directly govern safety not only in Europe, but all over the world will be taken in the city, which gave the name to the well-known agreement, the point of which was turned against the Euro-Atlantic civilization.
But the times have changed, the shackles of communist ideology have been casted off, and now Warsaw may become the beacon that will outline the way of the NATO action in the current difficult situation.
Warsaw NATO Summit will be held in troubled moment. The Kremlin aggressor undermined international law, peace and stability in Europe, having flouted the foundations of the postwar world. Europe faced the unleashed hybrid war.
What is a hybrid war and what is its danger for Europe? The hybrid war, in contrast to the usual, as a rule, is not declared. This war is waged on all fronts – economic, informational, social, political, cultural, and certainly, military. The main danger of the hybrid war is its hidden nature. We still think that we live in a peacе time. But in fact, the war is not even around the corner – it has already come to our house.
Russia carefully prepared to the hybrid war, establishing powerful tools of influence on Europe – from the propaganda channels to corrupt politicians and puppet political parties of various kinds. All of them are now employed for comprehensive support of Ukrainian bridgehead seizure. It is quite obvious that the final running and fitting of hybrid forms and methods of war, the purpose of which is definitely the destruction of European unity and seizure of a dominant position on the European continent took place during the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Today Ukraine is waiting for help from us. And we wonder: “Why do we need this?” and “What do we benefit from this?” The answer to the first question is quite simple. As already mentioned, Ukraine is only a foothold for an attack and cleanup of the battlefield for Russia. Having finished with Ukraine, Putin would proceed to Europe. Therefore, we need to stop the aggressor at the distant frontiers, as far as we can.
In addition, seeking the answer to the second question, it becomes clear that the cooperation with Ukraine may be advantageous from a practical point of view. Ukraine already possesses invaluable experience in fighting hybrid aggression. Our task is to use it in order to prevent the spread of the Russian aggression. Helping to establish defensive potential of Ukraine, organize its armed forces in accordance with its standards, NATO could create an effective military force on its eastern wing, which is capable to become a buffer between aggressive Russia and the European civilization.
The question is not whether we should provide assistance to Ukraine. Certainly, we should help and support Ukraine in its struggle for freedom in every possible way. The question is whether we recognize that capitulation and enslavement would be an alternative to this decision. Either we will be able to protect ourselves from Russia’s attack, or the whole our cozy and hab