For the first time since NATO was formed in 1949, European powers have been left wondering if the United States would rush to their defense in the event of a Russian attack. Pablo Calderón Martínez, associate professor in politics and international relations at Northeastern University London, said that such fears are warranted, despite the unlikelihood that Russia would provoke the military might of Britain, France or Germany. “Is Europe prepared for Russian invasion?” “No, they’re not,” he told NGN Northeastern Global News. But he added, as many experts believe, that Russia also lacks military readiness for another war, having struggled against the far smaller forces of Ukraine.
The uncertainty comes as leaders of the intergovernmental military alliance prepare to meet on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for a gathering that is expected to focus on defense spending and Ukraine’s security. Europe’s anxiety has intensified since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, launching the biggest land war on the continent since World War II, and raising the prospects that the Kremlin might expand the conflict beyond the borders of its smaller neighbor.
