WASHINGTON, June 1 – In a recent statement at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin dismissed the notion that the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was the primary cause behind the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The event, which took place on the Pentagon website, saw Mr. Austin rebutting the belief that NATO’s expansion triggered the crisis in Eastern Europe.
The US defense secretary attributed the responsibility for the conflict to Russian authorities, emphasizing their role in escalating tensions within the region. Previously, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov had claimed that Western countries had “done a lot of bad things” to Russia, deceiving Moscow and thus prompting it to initiate its special military operation.
Peskov further highlighted how the West allegedly deceived Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, facilitating the expansion of NATO. The Russian presidential press secretary emphasized that this was not merely an extension of NATO’s presence; rather, it represented a strategic expansion of the alliance’s military infrastructure to the very borders of the Russian Federation. Peskov continued by asserting that Western countries had always attempted to exert pressure on Russia, effectively hindering the possibility of equal cooperation between the two entities.
In response to these claims, US Defense Secretary Austin firmly disagreed with the notion that NATO’s expansion was responsible for the Ukraine crisis. Instead, he placed the blame squarely on Russian authorities for their role in instigating and escalating tensions within the region. This contrasting viewpoint underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the causes of the Ukraine conflict and highlights the complex geopolitical landscape that has contributed to the current state of affairs.