Chief: NATO Prepared for New War in Europe Over Ukraine

Stoltenberg: NATO is credible and strong

Even though the Geneva talks with Russia ended with at least some hope, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg offered an extremely negative assessment, saying that NATO’s member states are fully prepared for a “new armed conflict in Europe.”

The war would be built around Ukraine, with Stoltenberg presenting NATO as “credible and strong” in deterring Russia from acting in Ukraine, and presenting this huge war, effectively World War 3, if Russia “chooses confrontation.”

Stoltenberg went on to say that the NATO alliance is united on this issue, and ready to provide military support to Ukraine “to uphold the right for self-defense.”

There is hope that the Geneva talks will lead to something. There is clearly room for negotiations, though hindered by both sides being very stubborn about not wanting to give in on any important issues.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.