Great Britain, Germany, France and Poland. The new elite is to save NATO

Given the crisis of the Euro-Atlantic security system, Great Britain, Germany, France (E3 countries) and Poland should create a European leadership group in NATO, says the British think tank RUSI in a report quoted in the Christmas edition of the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” daily.

The Euro-Atlantic security architecture is currently in the deepest crisis since its creation at the end of World War II, say experts from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). The reasons include Russian aggression against Ukraine, the moral indolence of the United States, the growing importance of China and the lack of stability in Europe caused by the success of populist parties.

According to the think tank European countries should take actions to strengthen NATO as soon as possible, even if the US is involved in other areas. Europe must strengthen conventional and nuclear deterrence and conduct security consultations among several countries, it was emphasized.

The E3 group (Great Britain, Germany, France) should be supplemented with the partner of Germany and France from the Weimar Triangle – Poland – and become “the strongest four European powers” constituting a “bridge between NATO and the EU”.

The reasons for optimism, according to experts, are the rapidly growing defense spending of European countries, as well as the discussion about “European components of nuclear deterrence.” The weakening of Russia's position, resulting from the lack of quick successes in the war with Ukraine and the decline of Moscow's authority in Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, was also pointed out as a positive phenomenon.

According to RUSI, European countries should change NATO enough to ensure that the Alliance remains operational in the event of reduced US involvement. London, Paris and Berlin should play a leading role in decision-making processes and, together with Poland, should create a “strong leadership group”. According to experts, Great Britain has advantages that predispose it to a leadership role – it is one of the two European nuclear powers, it has very close relations with the United States and is active in NATO structures, and its representatives hold central command positions in the Alliance. (PAP)

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