NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting: Two Conflicts and One Key Figure

The NATO foreign ministers want to discuss the crises on the borders of Ukraine and Belarus for two days. But the view is directed beyond the borders – as far as Moscow.

What exactly is happening on the Russian-Ukrainian border is a question that is frowning on neighboring countries and NATO. The Ukrainian government has already rang the alarm bells – an attempted coup and possibly an attack on their territory is imminent.

At present, the findings at NATO do not go that far. However, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg lists a few warning signs:

We are seeing a strong build-up among Russian troops. We see heavy military equipment, drones and combat troops there. We call on Russia to create transparency. Because that was neither provoked, nor can it be explained.

Threatened a “high price” for aggression

The NATO foreign ministers therefore want to send two signals at their meeting in Riga. First, that NATO guarantees and supports the security of its own members. On the other hand, that the military alliance insists on Ukraine’s independence. Although the country is not a member of NATO, it is viewed as an important partner.

For any aggression against Ukraine, Russia would have to pay a high price, said the acting Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas before the meeting.

His Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkēvičs believes that if NATO shows itself to be united, it may be enough to de-escalate. “Whatever has worked is a strong and steadfast response to any threat from Russia,” said Rinkēvičs:

To be honest, we missed that in 2014 during the annexation of Crimea. Our answer was a bit ambiguous. If we answer clearly this time, then I think we can get rid of such problems.

Limited handling of sanctions

For the time being, the NATO states are continuing to use the communication channel to Moscow, which, however, had recently completely failed. At the same time, Secretary General Stoltenberg threatens the Kremlin with political and economic consequences if aggression occurs.

However, such sanctions are only within the power of the military alliance to a very limited extent. Stoltenberg is therefore demonstratively looking to join forces with the EU:

We stand by all the NATO members concerned, of course, and we work closely with the European Union. Because neither the EU nor NATO have all the necessary tools in their toolbox. But together we can react strongly to what we are currently experiencing.

Warnings against Lukashenko’s “cynical” game

This also applies to the second conflict that the foreign ministers are negotiating in Riga: the situation on the border with Belarus. Migrants who the regime in Minsk has specifically sent to the EU are still waiting there. A problem especially for the neighboring NATO countries Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. If one of them asked NATO for assistance in securing the border, the others would support this step, it was said before the meeting.

To prevent this from happening, Secretary General Stoltenberg once again called on Minsk to give in: “Mr. Lukashenko must stop abusing people as pawns in a political game in order to put other countries under pressure. That is inhuman and cynical. And many human lives are involved on the game.”

One thing is clear to the partner countries: the protective hand of Moscow hovers over the Belarusian leadership. Getting into conversation with Russia is the key to bringing two regional conflicts under control. Which tools can be used to do this is now to be clarified in Riga.