1117: Anne Applebaum | Inside The Fortune 500 of Modern Dictatorships

NATO Expansion

The expansion of NATO has been a contentious issue, with Anne Applebaum explaining that it was driven by Eastern European countries seeking protection from Russia. These nations, including Poland and Romania, felt threatened by Russia's aggressive posture, prompting them to join NATO for security 1. Despite gestures to integrate Russia into Western institutions, such as the G8, these efforts failed, leading to increased tensions. Applebaum notes, "The US was not the power that wanted to expand NATO. It was coming from those states. They wanted protection."

The US was not the power that wanted to expand NATO. It was coming from those states. They wanted protection.

--- Anne Applebaum

The perception of Russian aggression has led to a military buildup in Eastern Europe, with countries like Poland increasing their defense spending 2.

   

Ukraine Conflict

The conflict in Ukraine highlights the complexities of international law and regional stability. Anne Applebaum argues that Ukraine's lack of NATO membership left it vulnerable to Russian aggression, despite security guarantees from the Budapest Memorandum 3. She emphasizes that Russia's goal is to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty, making a ceasefire challenging. "The war is really only over when the Russians acknowledge that Ukraine is an independent state," she asserts.

The war is really only over when the Russians acknowledge that Ukraine is an independent state.

--- Anne Applebaum

The ongoing conflict results in significant casualties and equipment losses for Russia, raising questions about the sustainability of their military efforts 4.