World Affairs International

NATO unveiled its new strategic concept, establishing Russia as NATO’s primary adversary while seeking to increase partnerships with the Pacific to engage with China, which NATO has identified as a long-term adversary.

As the Russian advance in the Donbas continues making slow but regionally significant gains, Western nations have pledged more support to Ukraine. Russian forces are believed to be operating near or in Lysychansk, which is so far held by Ukrainian forces. Far more defensible than Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine will likely seek to use Western heavy weapons to target ammo supplies and bleed the Russian artillery onslaught.

Amidst what has become the largest land war in Europe since World War II, Finland and Sweden have both been invited into the NATO alliance. Since both nations, particularly Finland, are already compatible with NATO, it is likely their accession could come quickly. The accession of Finland, in particular, could have positive implications for the defense of the Baltics, where a tense stand-off between Lithuania and Russia threatens the risk of a wider war. EU nations have begun pressuring Lithuania to open a path to Kaliningrad, and while Lithuania recently claimed it would make no concessions, pressure from Central Europe could partially lift the sanctions on the wayward province.