The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded in 1949 in response to Russian military and political expansion during and after WWII.

The Russian-NATO Founding Act was created by the North Atlantic Council in 1997. The Council was formed to create trust and cooperation among Russia and NATO members. Also, Russia became a member of NATO.

NATO suspended the NATO Founding Act with Russia in 2014 after Russia invaded Crimea.

NATO’s article 5 states that NATO members will give military support to NATO members and not non-members. The UN Security Council authorizes the use of military force if all members are in agreement. Putin is taking full advantage of Article 5.

I firmly believe Donald Trump’s attitude toward NATO emboldened Putin. Putin has taken advantage of Trump’s lies of a stolen election, to weaken faith in our democracy, fueled by adverse voting rights by the Republican Party.

A no-fly zone may antagonize Russia into a nuclear attack, but my biggest fear is that Putin will hold the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as hostage. One missile into a nuclear waste container is an end game for the world.

Putin’s diplomatic training comes via the KGB. Russia’s invasion is not imperialism. I firmly believe that Putin’s objective is to choose world war over diplomacy. The U.N. Security Council needs to act against Putin. NATO must remove Russia. Putin has shown the world he is the aggressor. Lofty words will not stop him.

Paul Baresel
Buxton

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