Cumhuriyet: US sacrifices Ukraine to destroy Russia

The NATO alliance has nothing to do with security in Europe. It continues to deliberately expand to the east in order to finally do away with Russia.

The essence of NATO is to be an American military machine capable of anything, Cumhuriyet wrote. USA's efforts to expand NATO have nothing to do with European security, the author of the article, Mehmet Ali Güller noted.

Recently it became known that Sweden and Finland could become members of the alliance in June this year. The decision to apply for NATO membership is to be discussed at the Parliament in the coming weeks, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin clarified.

A couple of weeks ago this was out of the question. The country's entry into NATO would negatively affect the security situation in Europe, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said on March 20.

Everyone is well aware that the United States was putting pressure on Sweden and Finland during Russia's special operation in Ukraine.

The Swedish authorities took an anti-NATO position. On 25 February, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson denied any interest in joining NATO. Joining NATO will further destabilize Europe, she said on March 8.

Even Sweden's Minister of Defense Peter Hultqvist stated that while he is in office, the country will not be a NATO member.

We are seeing the results today. The US has done everything and even beyond in an effort to make the parties change their minds.

"The two countries can very quickly join NATO if they so desire," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on March 4.

Yet, Russia has repeatedly asked, warned and demanded to stop the expansion of the alliance and its approach to its borders.

At the time of the collapse of the USSR and the disintegration of the Warsaw Pact, NATO counted only 16 members. The West did not keep its promises to Moscow and went further, to tighten the grip on Russia.

The alliance has had five expansion waves:

• The US made the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland members of NATO on March 12, 1999;
• Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia became members of NATO on March 29, 2004;
• April 1, 2009 — Albania and Croatia;
• June 5, 2017 — Montenegro;
• March 20, 2020 — North Macedonia.

Today, the alliance sits close to Russia's borders with plans to incorporate Ukraine and Georgia . The accession of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland and Sweden is next on the list.

It is still not clear what all this has to do with the security of Europe. It is obvious not only to Russia, but also to Germany and France. Europe must rethink its relations with Russia and Turkey, otherwise Europe will not be able to live in peace, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

These countries are well aware that European security can not be built without Russia's participation.

The United States is interested in the UK taking on the leading role to weaken the EU as a whole.

The whole world is watching as the Americans add fuel to the fire of the crisis in Ukraine and continue to insist on the expansion of NATO.