Since Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, European relations with the Russian Federation has soured. While gradual military deployments from both sides currently occurring, it cannot be denied that the entire continent is heading towards a very dangerous showdown since the Cold War.
Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), has recognized that the military expansion of the Allied forces in Europe is at its largest.
The current peril focuses on the responses made by both sides with regards to each other's intentions. Russian countermeasures at the border have set into motion a new risk which NATO can no longer ignore. In the same manner, maneuvers pursued by European troops have made Moscow uneasy.
Former communist nations in Eastern Europe can no longer deny the possibility of another Russian break in into their respective backyards which is why the presence of NATO is a necessity.
In July, the continent's military alliance has permanently stationed three battalion-sized groups in the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. With around 300 to 800 troops per unit manning designated positions, the situation suddenly looks serious and bleak. Meanwhile, an American unit is also making their presence count in Poland.
Despite the recent troop movements in Europe, an armed conflict remains a remote possibility. For the moment, the deployments are part of future alignments.
However, Washington's decision to provide around $3.4 billion to new NATO member-states emphasizes something else. President Barack Obama has utilized the European Assurance Initiative as an approach to provide military equipment to its European allies. In addition, military units are being prepared for stationing within a short period of time.
Aside from US assistance, the 3,500-strong British forces are establishing a rapid deployment team. The Germans, on the other hand, will position themselves in Lithuania as part of the security process.
Such developments don't sit well with Russia considering that Kremlin finds all the movements violating the non-occupation treaties it signed with the West back in the 90s. In line with this, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has pointed out that NATO maneuvers threaten Russian interests.
The positioning of the Iskander missile system in Kaliningrad has kept NATO anxious. Stoltenberg himself has been cautious to make the necessary responses.
With Washington busy dealing with its forthcoming elections, the situation in Europe remains volatile.
It is not surprising that American relations with the Russians have further deteriorated due to competing interests in Syria.
Furthermore, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says that Washington's move in blocking financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) for Russian programs is perilous.
