NATO In The Caucasus

The Alliance decisively stepped over the “Kremlin’s red lines.”

Everyone understands well that the main reason for the recent trip of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to the Caucasus was the sharply changed geopolitical interests of the countries in this region, and the emerging path of development of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, which is different from the Russian one.

If Azerbaijan two years ago secured the support of Turkey, a NATO country, in the conflict with Armenia, then Armenia has sharply turned away from Russia in the last six months, since it has not received any help other than promises from Russia. Nikol Pashinyan suspended participation in the CSTO, even though the Russian military base still remains on the territory of Armenia.

This does not stop him from talking about the possible transition of the army to NATO standards and training of officers according to NATO programs.

And although any concrete steps by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia towards NATO are still a long way off, spasms in the Kremlin are already being observed. They understand that NATO will act through Turkey, which has close contacts with Baku and, in an effort to completely get rid of political and economic dependence on Russia, the Caucasian countries will choose a democratic path of development.

In this regard, Moscow is feverishly drawing up plans to counter the spread of NATO to the Caucasus. But what can a political bankrupt, relying only on a nuclear bomb, do in the current very difficult situation?

For now, Putin is reassured by the fact that rapprochement between Azerbaijan and NATO through Turkey is to some extent possible, but for the other two countries it is very problematic. Moscow believes that Orthodox Armenia and Georgia are unlikely to like a Muslim guide to NATO. At the same time, they forget that back in July 2008, Georgia, together with Ukraine, could have received a MAP from NATO!

But the Kremlin's worries about NATO in the Caucasus are not groundless. If in the near future the countries of the Caucasus are able to become members of the Alliance, Russia will face a security problem in the Black Sea basin.

At the same time, even if Russia remains in the Crimea, then under certain circumstances the “Black Sea” could become an “internal” sea of NATO countries, as the Baltic Sea has now actually become. Russian ships will, of course, be able to sail along the Russian coast and even transport tomatoes, but they will not be able to escape the mousetrap anywhere.

And this will be another result that Putin achieved by starting the war in Ukraine. The first result is already there: the Alliance has decisively stepped over the “red lines of the Kremlin” and painlessly entered Finland and Sweden. As a result, NATO moved closer to Russia and increased the length of the common border with the Russian Federation by 1,300 km. Rejoice, Russians, it's all thanks to a visionary bunker maniac.

Telegram channel “Freethinker”