Viet Nam Human Rights
Europe at risk of nuclear war
13/4/16
The
tense confrontation between Russia and the West concerning the crisis in
Ukraine makes nuclear war in Europe at risk of increasing to the highest level
since the 1980s. It was the verdict by Russia's former foreign minister Igor
Ivanov.
"The
risk of using nuclear weapons in the confrontation in Europe is at its highest
level since the 1980s Though we have fewer warheads, but the ability to use
them again is increasing, Igor Ivanov made statement in an event took place in
Brussels, Belgium on March 19th 2016.
According
to Mr Igor Ivanov, who served as Russia's foreign minister from 1998 to 2004,
the system of US missile defense in Europe is one of the reasons for increasing
the risk of nuclear weapons in this area in future. Late last year, the US
completed the installation of the key components of missile defense facilities at
Deveselu – new military base in Romania. This is a missile defense system Aegis
class on the ground, equipped with high-capacity radar systems SPY-1 and SM-3 long-range
interceptor missiles, and telecommunication equipments. In Poland - the
neighboring country of Russia, the United States has a similar base, and
expects this base would go into operation in 2018.
Recently,
Russia has repeatedly opposed the US’ plan and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) to organize the components of missile defense systems in
Eastern Europe near Russia’s border, while confirming the plan will undermine
the security of Russia and force Moscow to adopt countermeasures to prevent
this threat. However, Washington DC and NATO have rejected the idea. According
to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO missile shield is designed
to protect Europe from threats of Iran’s trajectory missile and does not aim at
Russia, as well as inability to shoot down Russia’s missiles.
In
a speech on March 19th 2016, Mr. Igor Ivanov submitted with
certainty assertion that if the United States deploys missile defense system in
Poland, Russia will respond by deploying missile defense system in the province
of Kaliningrad. Kaliningrad has a special geographical location which is
separate from Russian territory but is close the member countries of NATO and
the European Union. Russia also has a radar station to early warn and monitor
missile launches threatening Russia.
According
to the Stockholm International Research Institute of Peace, although the US and
Russia cut nuclear arsenals themselves, but it has signs of slow process. As of
January 2015, the US and Russia still own more than 7,000 nuclear warheads,
accounting for 90% of the total number of nuclear warheads worldwide per
country.
In
this context, according to Mr. Igor Ivanov, NATO and Europe is still not able
to find a political solution to the prolonged crisis in Ukraine and both
parties have little chance of mediation on this issue. “The path of Europe and
Russia is seriously divided and will be lasted for a long time”, the former
head of the Russian diplomatic service predicted.
Through
consolidation of Russia former foreign minister Igor Ivanov we can see that the situation of confrontation
and division between Russia and the West concerning matters Ukraine as well as
disagreements views on layout plan about missile defense system of the US and
NATO in Europe, plus the nuclear arsenal is not clearly cut as the reasons that
Europe has not escaped the danger of nuclear war .
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All comments [ 10 ]
The East-West standoff over the Ukraine crisis has brought the threat of nuclear war in Europe closer than at any time since the 1980s
The risk of confrontation with the use of nuclear weapons in Europe is higher than in the 1980s
While Russia and the United States have cut their nuclear arsenals, the pace is slowing. As of January 2015, they had just over 7,000 nuclear warheads each, about 90 percent of world stocks
The paths of Europe and Russia are seriously diverging and will remain so for a long time ... probably for decades to come
It seems that worrying about nuclear war is back in fashion.
More than a quarter of a century after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Europe is still home to more than half the world's nuclear weapons.
The largest European arsenal by far – and the second largest in the world – belongs to Russia
For most of the 21st century so far, no one particularly worried about those weapons: the Cold War was over and Europe was supposed to have outgrown such petty things as war.
Last year's Ukraine crisis, however, has rather thrown that into question. In its confrontations with its neighbours and the broader West, Russia has been very keen to remind the rest of the world just how potentially dangerous it is.
The risk isn’t that Russia would launch a sneak attack: the western nuclear arsenal is large enough that that the retaliation would be similarly devastating. The real risk danger is miscalculation.
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