It is very unclear what purpose NATO severs these days. Maybe that needs to be re-defined if it is to continue to exist.
People can also think that Putin is paranoid about NATO, but the truth is, if that was the case, why does NATO still exist and who is it being expanded to defend against, if not Russia?
It is even more unclear if a NATO country was attacked, if the other countries would actually join in to defend it as would be their treaty obligations. Treaties can often times be as worthless as the paper they are printed on. If a NATO country didn't see the invasion of another NATO country as an immediate or long term threat to itself, it probably wouldn't get involved (and NATO would end at that time). During the cold war, the Soviet Union's invasion of a NATO member had the potential to change the balance of power so much, that letting that country fall almost certainly mean you were next. We don't have that sense of urgency or purpose in NATO these days. In addition, the larger the organization gets, the more likely it becomes the fall of one NATO state would have no implications for another and therefore remove their motivation to respond.
It is very unclear what purpose NATO severs these days. Maybe that needs to be re-defined if it is to continue to exist.
People can also think that Putin is paranoid about NATO, but the truth is, if that was the case, why does NATO still exist and who is it being expanded to defend against, if not Russia?
It is even more unclear if a NATO country was attacked, if the other countries would actually join in to defend it as would be their treaty obligations. Treaties can often times be as worthless as the paper they are printed on. If a NATO country didn't see the invasion of another NATO country as an immediate or long term threat to itself, it probably wouldn't get involved (and NATO would end at that time). During the cold war, the Soviet Union's invasion of a NATO member had the potential to change the balance of power so much, that letting that country fall almost certainly mean you were next. We don't have that sense of urgency or purpose in NATO these days. In addition, the larger the organization gets, the more likely it becomes the fall of one NATO state would have no implications for another and therefore remove their motivation to respond.