ˈIran Dailyˈ on Wednesday commenting on NATO-Russiaˈs intensified war rhetoric in recent days, with both sides even vowing to take further retaliatory actions, indicates an all-out military conflict is looming over the crisis in Ukraine.
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Elucidating on US, EU and their allies imposing several rounds of sanctions on Russian companies and individuals, Moscow shows no retreat from its stand on Ukraine, noted the English-language daily in it its Opinion column.
Kiev and its Western allies accuse Russia of fueling the crisis in east Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations and criticized its Western neighbor for the heavy crackdown on pro-Russia protesters in the east, noted the paper.
Further escalation of the crisis in recent days shows that the situation is entering a military phase after Kiev asked NATO to consider its membership to the military alliance and provide the country with military aid to face Russia, said the paper.
Even, Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Geletey has warned of an impending ‘great war’ in Europe following the recent retreats of Ukrainian army against pro-Moscow forces, it noted.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen further complicated the crisis when he said that military alliance plans to approve the creation of a high-readiness force and the stockpiling of military equipment and supplies in eastern Europe to deal with Russia. Moscow strongly reacted to the comments, vowing to adopt a beefed-up military doctrine over NATO’s plans that could trigger a military conflict in the region, added the paper.
Moscow says if the 28-nation alliance approves its military expansion plans in eastern Europe—a 4,000-strong spearhead force—during its two-day Wales meeting, it will also beef up its military presence near Ukraine’s border because Kremlin considers it a provocative move. Russians have also warned that they even may use nuclear weapons should national security be considered a grave danger as ‘Russia’s 2010 military doctrine’ already permits such move, said the daily.
This proves that both sides are approaching a military conflict because under ‘the 1997 Founding Act’ that was viewed as ending the Cold War, NATO pledged to the Russian government that it would not have a permanent troop presence in any of the former Warsaw Pact states.
Although NATO claims that its proposed plans are not aimed at Russia, evidences however reflect something different. Analysts warn this is just the beginning of a bigger conflict that may engulf entire Europe if it is not settled through diplomatic means, stressed the paper.
Russia underlined it will not tolerate any military presence on its doorstep and is ready to defend its national interests at any cost. Although, EU has warned that it is drawing up another round of sanctions against Russia, at the same time certain European states warn about grave consequences of Russian retaliatory measures and a possible halt to Russian gas flow to Europe that will inflict heavy losses on them, the paper concluded. /SR
