Russia Threatens NATO
Vladimir Putin is warning NATO not to impose a blockade on Kaliningrad. Late last month, Russia sent a diplomatic note to 30 NATO countries. According to Reuters, Russia says it “will be ready to use the entire arsenal of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, in order to defend its territory should NATO countries undertake any attempt aimed at isolating the Kaliningrad Region from the rest of the country.” Recently on The Drew Mariani Show, Steven Moore of the Ukraine Freedom Project discussed the state of the war and the escalating tensions in the region.
Moore told Drew that Putin has been using this kind of rhetoric for years. “He is accusing NATO of attacking him so that he can justify the incursions he’s making into NATO territory,” Moore said. This argument, Moore told Drew, is similar to the one Putin made before invading Ukraine. “The thing he’s [Putin] been saying for all along is that NATO aggression and NATO encroachment…that’s why we went into Ukraine.” However, Ukraine was not a NATO country then and is not one today, Moore said.
NATO Ready to Act
At a recent security forum in Warsaw, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said that “any potential adversaries should know that ‘we’ve got this’ and come to the conclusion that they don’t want to take us on.” Grynkewich noted, however, that NATO is a defensive alliance and does not desire to “escalate the situation.”
When pressed about recent Russian provocations, including hybrid attacks, drone incursions, and attacks on ships in the Black Sea, Grynkewich called these actions “reckless” and urged Russia to cease such activity. He also described the Russian threat to NATO territory as “relatively low.”
In a speech in Estonia last week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the war in Ukraine “a long-term threat to NATO,” but added that Russia is waging this war “not because they are strong, but because they are weak.”
Pope Leo
The Holy Father, who has previously spoken out against the war in Ukraine, recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vatican News reported that “the Holy Father expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population.”
This was the first time in over a year that Pope Leo had spoken with Putin.
When asked about Pope Leo’s call with Putin, Trump said he believes Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine.