Ukraine's accession to NATO is anticipated before the decade's end, as asserted by former Supreme Allied Commander of the Alliance, US Admiral James Stavridis.
In a comprehensive discussion on the Ouzo Talk Podcast, Stavridis, who proudly bears Kremlin sanctions, refuted Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims made during his recent interview with Tucker Carlson. Putin attributed the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine to NATO expansion.
EMBED PLAYER“I often encounter the argument that if NATO hadn't expanded at the end of the Cold War, Russia wouldn't have invaded. That is complete nonsense,” Stavridis remarked on Ouzo Talk. “Countries like Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania clamoured to join NATO. NATO didn't coerce them; they sought membership because they endured over 50 years with Russian domination."
He continued, "I challenge anyone to find instances in history where NATO tanks invaded the Warsaw Pact. Conversely, Russian tanks repeatedly advanced westward throughout history: post-World War II, during the Budapest crisis of 1956, the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, and the suppression of the Czech Spring in the '70s in Gdansk."
Stavridis emphasized that countries seeking NATO membership did so due to historical oppression by Russia. "Had we rejected their applications, Russian tanks would have continued their aggression westward. Each of these countries is grateful for NATO's protection, as evidenced by Sweden and Finland's recent accession."
Additionally, Stavridis shared insights on Greek-Turkish relations, including the sale of F35s to Greece and F16s to Turkey, the Cyprus issue, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the looming threat of WWIII.
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