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- After Finland, Russia has become red-faced after Sweden's entry into NATO. Not only this, NATO is also looking to expand into the Asia-Pacific, resulting in strong opposition from China.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
This organization was officially formed 74 years ago in 1949 by 12 Countries including America-Canada-France-Britain-Denmark-Italy. After World War II, in 1947, negotiations between America and France began to increase cooperation between Europe and America. As a result, this organization known as Nato for short came into existence. The main purpose of forming NATO was to provide military cooperation between the North Atlantic littoral countries in the event of a future world war. Europe is on one side of the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side is America-Canada. In addition to North America and Europe, the countries of the African continent and South American countries also come within the range of this organization.
The map of Russia at that time was very different and vast. After the disintegration of Russia in 1991, 14 countries like Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan broke away. Many of these countries showed readiness to join NATO due to fear of Russia. Russia was still opposed. Russia argued that it is not right for America to reach the Russian border under the pretext of NATO. For the first time in 2004, the United States gave membership to three former Soviet countries to NATO, amid opposition from Russia. After that, since the first conflict between Ukraine and Russia in 2014, Ukraine also started the exercise of getting NATO membership.
Russia began to threaten Ukraine after the process of joining NATO intensified. In January-2022, the army of the NATO organization was deployed in the Baltic Sea under the leadership of the United States. The deployment of warships and fighter planes was increasing on the one hand. On the other hand, Russia has deployed millions of troops along the Ukrainian border. Putin also warned the US that if they try to create a threat against Russia, there will be no other way but war and that is what happened.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for 500 days and thousands of people have lost their lives. Despite the state of war, now for some reason America does not want to make Ukraine a member of NATO. At NATO's annual conference, it was stated that Ukraine is not yet ready for NATO membership, but that Ukraine will not be left alone in the war against Russia. NATO countries will help Ukraine. Along with the convention, seven countries including America-Britain also signed an agreement to help Ukraine in the war.
NATO has not yet granted membership to Ukraine, but long-claimed Sweden has finally been granted membership. Finland, Sweden and Ukraine were previously planned to be members at the same time, but Ukraine's clash with Russia stalled. Turkey objected to the issue of Finland and Sweden. Turkey said that these two countries do not protect Turkey's diplomatic interests. The rule of the NATO organization is that membership cannot be granted if even one country opposes it. Turkey withdrew its opposition to Finland three-four months ago, so NATO granted Finland membership in April. NATO's intention behind making Finland a member was clear. Russia has a land border of 1300 km with Finland and a sea border of 50-60 km. Due to this, it became easier for America to reach the border of Russia.
Turkey was persuaded before the annual convention. A decision was brought to the issue which was stalled between Turkey and Sweden. After British mediation, Turkey finally dropped its opposition to Sweden. As a result, Sweden also got the latest membership in the annual convention. When Finland became a member of NATO two-and-a-half months ago, Russia threatened to protest strongly. Now even after making Sweden a member, Russia has threatened action. In the name of NATO, if the American-British army is present near the Russian border, it is natural that Russia will lose sleep.
Amid Russia's opposition, now China has also entered the fray. The thing is that the US has been making Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea special guests for two years at the NATO summit. A proposal to open a NATO office in Japan was also to be presented at the convention, but the idea was dropped as France did not agree to it. China has criticized America on the issue of making Asia-Pacific countries guests at the NATO summit.
China often accuses the United States of intending to expand NATO in the Indo-Pacific region. US President Biden himself rejected the speculations, but there is no reason to say that China's claim is completely baseless from the way the office was being opened in Japan. Russia and China accused NATO of provocation. Russian President Putin said that NATO has provoked Russia by making Sweden a member after Finland, and by inviting countries like Australia-Japan, NATO is provoking China by opening an office in Japan, said the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
India-America-Japan-Australia are active in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China's influence. At the other end, Britain-Australia-America cooperation has also increased. Admittedly, keeping these two countries in check is necessary in view of Sino-Russian regionalism, but doing so risks undermining NATO's ambitions. The Sino-Russian record after World War II is not good, but America's record is not exactly bright either. America has set up military bases everywhere to secure the world. US Navy continues to violate the territorial waters of many countries under the pretext of free navigation.
There is no doubt that America will protect India's interests as long as India is on the side of America and makes defense deals worth billions of dollars, giving open ground to American companies for trade, but as India's power increases, there is no doubt that America will start looking at India as a challenge. On the one hand, NATO wants to reach every corner of Europe. On the other hand, the ambition of military reach is evident in the strategy of establishing a foothold in the Asia-Pacific as well. There is such a fear of that ambitious world war. Unlimited power should not come into the hands of Russia-China and should not remain in the hands of America-Britain forever - that would be in the interest of peaceful countries like India.
