Biden celebrates incorporation of new members to NATO 3:00
(CNN Spanish) --
"Russia is the most important and direct threat to security," says NATO, without mitigating, in its new Strategic Concept —the document that defines the role of the alliance in the next decade— approved on Wednesday at the Madrid summit.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) seems to return, in this way and in spirit, to its first Strategic Concept of October 1949 —the year of its foundation—, when its main roles were to deter aggression from the Union Soviet Union, and act militarily in the event of an attack.
The military power of NATO: who are the strongest members of the Atlantic Alliance?
The 2022 document, the eighth since NATO's creation, clearly revolves around Russia.
But it also mentions - for the first time - the challenge that China represents for the security, interests and values of the Atlantic Alliance, and describes climate change as one of the "determining challenges of our time."
A decade of changes
It also shows a clear change from the previous Strategic Concept of 2010, approved in Lisbon, which sought to cooperate with Russia and described the relationship between NATO and Moscow as "strategic importance".
advertising
How did Putin inadvertently reinvigorate NATO?
5:03
But in the tumultuous decade from Lisbon to Madrid, the relationship between Russia and NATO began to unravel first with Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and Moscow's support for rebels in eastern Ukraine that same year;
then with opposing interests in the civil war in Syria, where Moscow and Washington supported opposing factions;
followed by the accusations of Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, in the context of an escalation of cyber attacks that has not stopped growing;
and finally the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, just as the world was beginning to emerge from the covid-19 pandemic.
What does the Strategic Concept 2022 say about Russia
In the document's preface, which speaks of a "disputed and unpredictable" world, NATO leaders say they remain firm in the decision to "protect our one billion citizens, defend our territory and safeguard our freedom and democracy."
How many times did NATO intervene in conflicts from 1949 to today?
"The Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine has shattered peace and seriously disrupted our security environment. Its brutal and illegal invasion, repeated violations of international humanitarian law, and heinous attacks and atrocities have caused widespread suffering and destruction. indescribable," he adds.
For NATO, a "strong and independent" Ukraine is essential for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic zone, and Moscow's current behavior is part of a "pattern of aggressive actions against its neighbors and the transatlantic community in general."
NATO leaders on Wednesday at the Madrid summit.
"The Euro-Atlantic area is not at peace"
Then, in its roles and principles section, NATO makes it clear that the Euro-Atlantic zone is "not at peace" and argues that Russia has violated norms and principles that contributed to a stable and predictable European security order.
"The Russian Federation is the most important and direct threat to the security of the Allies and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. It seeks to establish spheres of influence and direct control through coercion, subversion, aggression and annexation" says the document approved in Madrid by the 30 members of NATO.
"Moscow's military build-up, including in the Baltic, Black Sea and Mediterranean regions, along with its military integration with Belarus, challenge our security and interests."
At the same time, NATO assures in the document that it is not seeking a confrontation with Russia and that it is not a threat, something that has been questioned by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who has blamed the expansion of the Atlantic Alliance for the current stresses.
NATO rejects these accusations.
"We remain willing to keep communication channels open with Moscow to manage and mitigate risks, prevent escalation and increase transparency," it adds.
Other conclusions: terrorism, China and climate change.
NATO considers that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, is "persistent" and constitutes the most direct "asymmetric threat" to the citizens of member countries and to international prosperity and peace.
Turkey agrees to Sweden and Finland joining NATO 3:39
This is the first time that a NATO Strategic Concept also identifies China as a threat to the interests, security and values of the Alliance.
Specifically, NATO says China is using economic, political and military tools to grow its global influence, while deliberately hiding its intentions as it engages in "malicious" cyber and hybrid operations.
"It uses its economic power to create strategic dependencies and increase its influence. It strives to subvert the rules-based international order, including in the space, cyber and maritime fields," says the document, which also highlights that the growing cooperation between China and Russia is another threat.
Climate change is one of the "determining challenges of our time", says the document, and ensures that it can "exacerbate conflict, fragility and geopolitical competition".
What the previous NATO Strategic Concept said
In a very different tone, the 2010 Strategic Concept, approved in November of that year in Lisbon, Portugal, assured that "currently, the Euro-Atlantic area is at peace and the threat of a conventional attack against NATO territory is low" .
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, during the Madrid summit.
"This is a landmark success for the policies of robust defense, Euro-Atlantic integration and active partnership that have guided NATO for more than half a century," it said.
It warned, however, of four possible threats: the growth of armed forces in different parts of the world, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, cyber attacks and terrorism.
On Russia, the document said the Alliance's relationship with Moscow was of "strategic importance" and contributed to peace, stability and security.
That relationship was based on the framework of the Founding Act of Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and Russia.
"Despite differences on certain issues, we remain convinced that the security of NATO and Russia are intertwined and that a strong and constructive partnership based on mutual trust, transparency and predictability can best serve our security." the document said.
Three years later, in March 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and the war began in Donbas between Ukraine and Moscow-backed rebels, the background to the current invasion.
News from RussiaNATO