by Giuseppe Sarcina
The spokesperson for the US National Security Advisor, John Kirby: the threat is not active and immediate”, but President Biden “has decided to initiate diplomatic actions” towards Moscow
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
MONACO – The Russian nuclear threat and weapons for Ukraine. Yesterday was another hectic day between Washington, with Joe Biden’s response to the Kremlin, and Brussels, where the summit of NATO defense ministers was held. Today the discussion moves to Munich, where the Security Conference begins. Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to speak tomorrow and, in the meantime, is preparing to conclude a bilateral agreement with France.
Biden’s moves
From the American capital, John Kirby, one of the White House spokesmen, makes it known that the American president has not given the green light to the dissemination of information collected by US intelligence on Russian maneuvers. According to rumors, Moscow is developing a nuclear device capable of deactivating US satellites. Kirby added that only Democratic and Republican congressional leaders will be notified. Furthermore, the White House will initiate a “diplomatic action”, that is, the opening of a confrontation with Moscow, given that this nuclear weapon would violate the rules established by the “Outer Space Treaty”, signed by the United States, the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom. United in 1967.
The Stoltenberg brake
In Brussels, however, the general secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, during a press conference, tried to tone down the alarm: “There are no imminent military threats against the member states.” Regarding the Russians’ possible atomic bomb, he limited himself to saying: «In NATO we constantly exchange intelligence between allies and naturally we monitor all potential threats from all directions». The discussion on nuclear power also has another implication: the European Union is discussing the prospect of equipping itself with a self-sufficient atomic deterrent, separate from the US one. The possibility of appointing a Defense Commissioner in the next Brussels executive also arises. President Ursula von der Leyen says she agrees. For Stoltenberg, however, NATO’s nuclear weapons will continue to guarantee all 31 member countries. Better to avoid duplication. The central point remains that of the supplies of weapons to Zelensky. The ministers noted that Western arsenals are emptying.
The knot of weapons
Stoltenberg observes that «we need to move from the slow pace of peacetime to the high-speed production required by conflict. To do this, producers need signed contracts and just in the last few months NATO has signed contracts worth ten billion dollars.” In any case it will take months to see the first results. Stoltenberg, however, gave an account of the latest aid packages promised by Canada, Finland and Norway: “These are equipment and spare parts for the F-16 jets.”
And again: «A group of allies is working to deliver one million drones to Ukraine and 20 countries will form specialized mine clearance teams». In the meantime, the chancelleries are evaluating whether to turn, on a more continuous basis, to other states, for example South Korea. Finally, it was decided to transfer the so-called “Ramstein group”, made up of over 50 countries, under the direct control of NATO. who have so far provided military means and resources to Zelensky. Reason? 99% of deliveries come from Atlantic Alliance partners. In addition to weapons, training. NATO will set up a training center for Ukrainian soldiers in Bydgoszcz, a city in central Poland. The secretary general explained that it will also be a structure for “analysis of the lessons we have learned from the war against Russia”.
The Zelensky agreements
The president of Ukraine is back on the move. Today he will be in Paris where he will sign a comprehensive bilateral assistance agreement with Emmanuel Macron. From the economy to the military sector. The agreement with France comes after that with the United Kingdom. It is the program set by the G7: all the Big Seven have committed to establishing a formal bond with Ukraine. In the next few days it will be the turn of Germany and then Italy. Also today Zelensky will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and then move to Munich, where he will speak at the World Security Conference.
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February 15, 2024 (modified February 15, 2024 | 11:41 pm)
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