WASHINGTON: The US and its European NATO allies are working to adapt the posture of the alliance in Eastern Europe to address ongoing threats as Russia’s war in Ukraine intensifies, Ambassador Julianne Smith, the US permanent representative to the organization, said in Brussels on Tuesday.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will attend a NATO ministerial meeting in the Belgian capital on Wednesday, Smith added, during which the participants will consider the organization’s response to events on its eastern borders and ways to counter the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
They “will discuss other steps that, collectively, we can take to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank and whether or not we need to map out medium- or longer-term plans,” she said.
NATO members had already started to mobilize their forces in Eastern Europe before Russia launched its invasion last month, Smith said, and the US has deployed several thousand troops in the region to reassure allies of its commitment to defending them in case of military escalation, and to serve as a deterrent to Moscow.
Russia described its invasion of Ukraine, launched on Feb. 24, as a “special military operation” in response to threats to national security from the Ukrainian government and the possible expansion of NATO into Ukraine, which is not currently a member of the organization.
The US and European nations have provided Ukrainian forces with advanced weapons to counter the Russian military assault. Smith said that Washington has already delivered military assistance worth $550 million and has pledged to provide an additional $13.6 billion of support.
The US remains committed to defending its NATO allies should they be threatened by Russian forces, she added, in keeping with Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty which sets out the concept of “collective defense” for all 30 members of the alliance and the principle that an attack on one is an attack on all.
However, Smith ruled out the introduction of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, as called for by the Ukrainian government, stating that the US does not want the conflict to “expand above and beyond its current context.”
She said the current collective goal of the US and its allies is to end the war in Ukraine, get Russian forces to leave the country and halt their attacks on the Ukrainian military and civilians.
Smith also commented on the seven-hour meeting on Monday between Jake Sullivan, the US national security advisor, and leading Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome.
She said that Sullivan raised US concerns about China’s alignment with Russia and warned Beijing of diplomatic and economic consequences should it decide to aid Moscow in the invasion of Ukraine. She described the meeting as a “serious” and “very intense” discussion.
The goal of Washington’s engagement with Beijing, Smith added, was to send a clear message to China, and other countries, that they cannot stay neutral on the issue of the invasion and should side with the US and its allies in opposing the Russian aggression.
“The United States is keen to see every country around the world, including China, make it clear in this moment where they stand with respect to this conflict in Ukraine, and that they need to stand on the side of the rules-based order,” she said.
“This is not a time for countries to stand on the sidelines. This is not a time for countries to pretend like they can stay neutral on this particular conflict.”
The US and its European allies imposed punishing economic sanctions on Russia and its wealthy elite after the invasion began. The Chinese government has not joined the international efforts to put pressure on Moscow, prompting Washington to warn Beijing that it might also face sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
