North Atlantic Treaty Organization

While the detente between Russia and US president-elect Donald Trump could not have come at a more tense time, the Kremlin appears to be accelerating its head-on collision course with NATO, and as a highly placed defense official said on Monday, Moscow will deploy S-400 surface-to-air missiles and nuclear-capable Iskander systems in the exclave of Kaliningrad in retaliation for NATO deployments, confirming previous media reports of Russian intentions to once again blanket central Europe with potential nuclear ICBM coverage.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that he will declare war with NATO if it continues to provoke Russia.  During a live question and answer sessions, Putin promised to “choke” NATO if troops continue to interfere in Russia’s presence in Ukraine and Georgia. Although the diplomatic relations with the U.S. are set to improve following the election of Donald Trump, Putin has made his disdain for NATO abundantly clear.

During a telephone call with the NATO secretary general, Donald Trump acknowledged that the military alliance still has “enduring importance.” The President – elects comment will no doubt come as a relief to some European leaders, but it does runs contrary to his previous remarks. Trump raised alarm during his election campaign when he questioned whether the United States should automatically defend NATO allies in times of need. He said American support would depend on the willingness of those countries to pay their fair share for military protection.

NATO chief, General Jens Stoltenberg, has warned Britain that a Brexit vote would lead to dire consequences for the UK and Europe.  Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told an event at Brussels that if the UK vote Brexit it will lead to instability throughout Europe. “What really matters for NATO is, I strongly believe, a strong UK in a strong EU. It is good for both the UK and the EU but also for NATO,” Stoltenberg said on Monday. Presstv.com reports: Stoltenberg, the former Norwegian premier, said that it was “up to the British people” to decide about the future of their country.

President Putin has authorised an aggressive military response to an intensification of NATO activity in the Baltic Sea, preparing Russia for a potential war with NATO and its allies.  Russian ambassador to NATO, Alexander Grushko, said that the country is preparing a full-on military and political response to NATO’s hostile behavior in the area.