Relations between Russia and NATO Member Countries Reach a Decisive Point

This week began with the first of a dense schedule of strategic discussions between high-level officials of the Russian government and Western powers. Unfortunately, but not so surprisingly, during and after the U.S.-Russia meetings in Geneva on Jan. 10–11, concerning NATO expansion in Eastern Europe and the Ukraine crisis, the personal diplomacy between Presidents Biden and Putin which seemed to give hope of a serious dialogue, was replaced by moral posturing on the side of U.S. officials – at least in their public comments. However, the fact that the discussions lasted seven hours is in itself an improvement over the previous lack of talks.

State Department spokesman Ned Price stated on Jan. 10 that the United States would never consider keeping Ukraine out of NATO, and did not even “consider the talks as a negotiation.” He reiterated that it was up to Russia alone to de-escalate and make concessions, and allow NATO forces and missiles to complete their long advance right to Russia’s borders. On the other hand, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who was in Geneva, explained that Washington is willing to discuss the placement of its missiles in Europe and the size and scope of NATO military exercises on the continent.

The U.S.-Russia bilateral talks will be followed by a meeting of the NATO Russia Council, and then, on Jan. 13, by a meeting between Russian delegates and OSCE representatives. As it now stands, no one is expecting a breakthrough there in terms of a calming of tensions. Unless President Joe Biden intervenes personally again – which he could very well do – Russia’s proposed agreements, in the form of two treaties, seem to have been bluntly and permanently rejected (cf. SAS 51–52/21 and 01/22).

Thus, further deployments of NATO forces in Eastern Europe can be expected, together with an escalation of regime-change operations and “color revolutions”, such as the one that was just launched in Kazakhstan. While the latter has failed for the moment, the “war party” continues to push the provocations laid out by the RAND Corporation (cf. below).

Should it come to “merely” a conventional conflict in Ukraine, which is clearly not Moscow’s intention, NATO forces in any case have very little chance to prevail. And what if it comes to a complete rupture of relations and a deep and immediate Cold War? Russia now has a firm and growing partnership with China, which is, after all, the world’s most rapidly expanding and technologically advancing economy, and has the greatest development influence in Africa, South and East Asia.

If the United States were to decide to attack and confront Russia and China together in a remake of the Cold War – opposing them in space, fighting their policies of exporting nuclear power to third countries, demanding they stop using coal for power, attacking China’s Belt and Road and poverty eradication policies – who would it have on its side? Other than the forces of the British Empire, including the global financial oligarchy, the City of London, and the crazed Dr. Strangeloves, probably not many allies. In fact, an increasing number of sane forces are waking up to the danger of sleepwalking ino a Third World War.