How significant was NATO summit in Wales?

Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury | Published: September 07, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The just-concluded NATO summit in Wales, Britain, was billed as probably the most important one since the inception of the western military alliance in 1949. The two-day meet concluded on September 5 with pledges to fight the Russian 'invasion' in Ukraine and the threats of the "Islamic State" in Iraq and Syria.
The wrapping up of the deliberations by the NATO leaders at the conference happily coincided with the announcement of a ceasefire by the parties concerned in the eastern Ukraine.
True, the details of the ceasefire in the months-long war in the eastern region of Ukraine between the government troops and the pro-Russian separatists have not crystalised immediately. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that the NATO summit was largely responsible for forcing the truce since Russian president Vladimir Putin unveiled a proposal of the ceasefire just on the eve of the NATO summit, apparently to head off possible more sanctions and too harsh position on the Ukraine crisis by the NATO leaders.
It appears that Putin also persuaded the pro-Kremlin separatists to heed to the call for ending the war--at least temporarily--because things were moving almost inexorably towards a full-blown 'East-West' confrontation, reminiscent of the Cold war era. Thanks to the wisdom of all involved in the Ukraine crisis that ceasefire has been made possible even though it would be height of folly to conclude that the crisis is over or nearing a settlement. The Ukraine tangle has myriad complexities and it remains to be seen how the truce contributes to a meaningful resolution of the conflict. Â
The NATO was established by the democratic nations from North America and Europe to counter the communist Soviet Union and its socialist allies in the post-Second World War phase. The main objective of the military alliance was obviously to counter the political and military influence of the Moscow-led "Warsaw Pact" military group. The NATO also earned criticisms of the Third-World countries because of its agenda that understandably at times went beyond its declared policies. However, the NATO remained as a strong catalyst in determining the global affairs.
But the collapse of the communist giant, the Soviet Union, in 1990 drastically changed the world scenario with the emergence of a 'Uni-Polar' world led by the United States as the 'Bi-Polar' environment disappeared. Many began to question the relevance of the NATO in the changing scenario, but the alliance affirmed that it needs to remain strong for maintaining peace and stability across the world. However, the existence of the alliance seemed more a traditionally ritualistic exercise rather than facing any real big challenge from any quarter.
But the Ukraine crisis has altered this assessment since Russia, although a democratic nation now, flexed its muscles confronting the West, following the collapse of a pro-Kremlin government in Kiev through a pro-West movement. Moscow found it difficult to swallow the bitter pill and annexed Crimea, an autonomous region of Ukraine.
The West decried the development, but could hardly do anything to reverse the process. President Putin, seeking to re-establish Moscow as a dominant global power, did not stop there. He aided the separatists in the eastern Ukraine and it is this crisis that is now seen as a major international flashpoint drawing the big powers.
The Kiev and western governments allege that Russian troops are directly involved in the war. Moscow denies.
A Malaysian Airlines passenger plane was shot down on the sky of the troubled region, heightening the world tensions. It is against this backdrop that the NATO summit in Newport, Wales, took place and drew unprecedented attention as its leaders met in a very critical period of world situation.
It appears that NATO leaders grappled on a number of issues, ranging from the Ukraine crisis to the threat of Islamic state. However, to make the alliance really relevant, its leaders agreed on a number of measures like confronting Russia and forming a coalition to tackle the IS.
United States President Barack Obama told a post-summit press conference that the NATO was able to take tough decisions at a critical time. Well, the alliance needed to prove its existence, particularly in the face of the Russian challenge to its authority.
But it is also open to questions whether the NATO is really contributing to the world peace, comprising 28 nations as its members, or striving to demonstrate its economic, political and military prowess over others.
zaglulchowdhury@yahoo.com