Espreso. Global
OPINION

How Russia will fight NATO

1 October, 2024 Tuesday
16:55

We often ask, "Why doesn't the West understand that Ukraine is shielding them from Russia?" The problem is, the West doesn’t see it that way

client/title.list_title

NATO countries rely on the military and economic power of the U.S. and the strength of the Alliance. They see no reason for Russia, even under Putin, to attack NATO. In fact, Russia has consistently avoided direct confrontations with NATO forces.

However, Russia’s aggression in Crimea and Donbas shows it can conduct large-scale operations while masking its involvement from those who choose to overlook the obvious.

The West is not blind to such tactics. They’ve even been featured in films.

In a prime example of British humor, Yes, Prime Minister lays out the "salami tactic" — a way Moscow could wage aggression without giving the West a reason to respond with nuclear force.

Agents start fires in West Berlin, fire trucks from East Berlin rush in "to help," special forces sneak in… By the time the West realizes what's happening, it’s too late, and they’ve lost their justification for retaliation.

Modern storytellers haven’t strayed far from this theme. The BBC’s World War Three: Inside the War Room showcases Russia invading eastern Latvia, drawing on its tactics from Crimea and Donbas.

In Yes, Prime Minister, the protagonist ultimately agrees on the need to invest in conventional weapons to counter the "salami slicing" early. Meanwhile, in World War Three, the West hesitates to launch a full-scale nuclear strike, even after Russia "accidentally" initiates a tactical nuclear hit.

These scenarios underline that a war between Russia and NATO isn’t some far-fetched fantasy. Both sides know it. But "knowing" and "accepting reality" are two different things.

For Ukraine, the main goal is to secure the support needed for victory.

As for the West, we need to position ourselves not as the ones dragging them into war, but as the ones who will prevent it.

Moreover, we must become part of a collective system to avert a global conflict and stop Russia in its tracks.

This includes joint production initiatives, deepened connections at all levels — from parliaments to experts and journalists — to counter hybrid threats and propaganda in Western societies.

And, crucially, fast-tracking NATO membership. NATO must become the cornerstone of post-war security, enabling rapid coordination to counter Russia across the full spectrum of threats.

With such preparation, Russia's "salami tactics" can be thwarted before they even begin.

Source

About the author. Rostyslav Pavlenko, Ukrainian politician, political scientist, political technologist, lecturer. People's Deputy of Ukraine of the 9th convocation

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.



 
Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2024, Monday
30 December
21:30
Russian forces brace for heavy assaults, major losses in Kherson region
20:53
Ukraine's state budget receives $41.7 million in external financing, one-third in grants
20:31
Ukraine boosts exports in 2024, with EU remaining key trading partner
20:10
11 Azov Brigade servicemen freed after enduring harsh trials in Russia
19:48
Exclusive
Gas needle almost broken: Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine set to stop on January 1, 2025
19:25
OPINION
Will Russia target Ukraine's gas transmission system?
19:06
Russia to raise Kerch Strait tankers by summer 2025
18:49
Exclusive
Baku's tough political will shakes up Russia: aviation expert on Azerbaijani plane crash
18:30
Ukraine returns 189 defenders from Russian captivity
18:27
Updated
Ukraine’s FM delivers Zelenskyy’s support message to new Syrian rebel leader
18:12
OPINION
Homo Non-Sapiens
17:58
Updated
U.S. announces new $2.5 billion aid package for Ukraine. What's included?
17:55
Exclusive
Russia lacks momentum for fast advances toward Ukraine's Kherson, Zaporizhzhia - expèrt
17:36
U.S. Treasury allocates $3.4 million in additional aid to Ukraine
17:18
104 clashes occur at front on Dec. 30: Russia launches 30 attacks in Pokrovsk sector
17:00
Nearly 200 Russian drone, missile strikes target Kyiv in 2024
16:39
Review
World elections – 2024: Key votes that shaped Ukraine's future
16:18
OPINION
Russia's air piracy remains unpunished
15:57
Partisans torch two locomotives in Moscow region bound for occupied Ukraine
15:31
Russia fails to repair damaged equipment at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
14:45
Russian billionaires’ chemical firms fuel Moscow’s war effort – media
14:20
Russia declines invitation to Ukraine peace summit — Russian FM
14:05
Interview
Viola von Cramon-Taubadel
People in EU need to understand: Ukraine is not threat, but asset – former MEP Viola von Cramon in interview with Espreso
13:53
OPINION
Why Trump will fail to achieve peace
13:37
NATO official warns Russia’s hybrid warfare could cause major casualties
13:16
Exclusive
Unusual missile from Russian Pantsir-S1: aviation expert on Azerbaijani plane crash
12:58
Ukraine tests Tytan drone interceptor: why gaming console makes it brilliant
12:42
OPINION
Ukraine's fragile future: main scenario for 2025
12:06
Review
Russia-Ukraine war in 2024: frontline gains and peace prospects
11:42
EU's Kallas holds Russia accountable for damage to cables Baltic Sea
11:27
Ukraine destroys Russian HQ in Zaporizhzhia, causing casualties among Russian troops
10:55
Exclusive
Russia struggles to advance in Toretsk due to strong industrial positions, serviceman says
10:36
186 combat clashes occur on Russia-Ukraine front: Moscow ramps up attacks in Pokrovsk, Lyman
10:15
Ukraine says air defenses down 21 Russian drones overnight, 22 others fail to hit targets
09:54
Finland links Baltic Sea power line damage to Russian tanker anchor
09:35
Russia loses 7 tanks, 44 artillery systems and over 2,000 soldiers in one day of war in Ukraine
2024, Sunday
29 December
19:39
Review
Ukraine's EU membership journey: milestones and next steps
19:15
Ukraine receives over €150 million in defense funding from Denmark, France, Lithuania
18:52
133 combat clashes since morning: Ukrainian forces repel 22 attacks
18:28
Exclusive
Croatian elections: President Milanović leads but is not Ukraine-friendly
More news