Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO, retired four-star general Philip Breedlove, has stated to REL that NATO was created to protect Europe and its allies from the common threat that he identifies as Russia, especially under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin.
"NATO was built to protect us against our enemy. We still have the same enemy. That enemy is Russia. Finally, we have all our documents that acknowledge that Russia is the enemy. So NATO was built to protect Europe and NATO allies against our common enemy, which is Vladimir Putin's Russia."
He emphasized that the war in Ukraine should not be seen as a new conflict, but as a war that began in 2014 and has continued without interruption to this day.
"A lot of people are wrong when they say this war will last four or five years. In reality, it's been going on for 12 years," Breedlove said.
He added that while NATO remains focused on collective defense, the alliance also possesses other important capabilities, such as mine clearance and support operations, which can be used in other strategic regions, including the Persian Gulf.
Breedlove stressed that a more collaborative approach and reduced rhetoric can help achieve shared security goals. According to him, increased dialogue and coordination among allies is essential to meet current global challenges.
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