In the Ukraine conflict, Putin draws comparisons to the Second World War: NATO is planning a new axis with Japan. Lavrov’s spokeswoman Zakharova is already talking about “total war”.
Moscow – Russia’s President Wladimir Putin has again compared the current world situation with the Second World War – whereby, according to his interpretation, the western countries are clearly on the side of “evil”. Putin compared the West to the fascist Axis powers in World War II. “They want to create a new axis like the one created by the fascist regimes of Germany, Italy and militarist Japan in the 1930s,” he loudly claimed Newsweek on Sunday (January 25) on state television Russia-24.
The alliance around the German Reich in World War II is referred to as the Axis powers. At that time, Hitler’s most important partners were Italy and Japan. According to Putin, a new axis of this kind is emerging in NATO’s plan to work more closely with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Putin’s Belarusian ally Alexander Lukashenko also attempted such a comparison on Wednesday (February 22): The “heirs to fascism” now cultivated “liberal democratic values”, he said in a speech at a memorial to SS atrocities.
NATO wants to cooperate more closely with Japan and South Korea – Putin feels provoked
During his visits to Japan and South Korea in early February, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke out in favor of closer cooperation with countries in Asia and the Pacific. Stoltenberg had emphasized in Tokyo that Ukraine war is also a threat to the Asian security situation, but Japan can count on NATO’s support in a more dangerous world. At the NATO summit in June 2022, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand were also represented for the first time. A subsequent statement said that “strengthening ties with Asia-Pacific partners is an important aspect of NATO’s 2030 Agenda.”
Putin obviously feels massively provoked by this. In his statements on Russian TV, he specifically referred to this statement: “Last year, NATO agreed on a new strategic concept for the development of the bloc,” said Putin. This says “directly” that the Western military alliance wants to develop closer ties with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. “They say they will create a global NATO,” the Russian president concluded.
China is also sensitive to NATO cooperation
Also China had already reacted sensitively to the NATO plans in advance. A Chinese government spokeswoman said in response to Stoltenberg’s Asia trip that NATO wants to expand its sphere of influence beyond its traditional defense zone, although it claims to be a regional alliance. This development requires “high vigilance”.
Lavrov spokeswoman speaks of “total, hybrid war”
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, made drastic statements on the current world political situation in a statement on Monday (February 27). It would be “naive” to assume that Russia not taking any military and technical countermeasures “after the West launched a total hybrid war against Russia and the US and NATO announced plans to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on us,” emphasized Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s spokeswoman, according to the Russian state news agency mug. Russia reserves the right to take “necessary additional steps” to ensure its national security and that of its allies.
Russia draws comparisons to World War II – what’s behind it
Russia strives in Ukraine conflict for several weeks, the comparison with the Second World War has been strengthened. On the one hand, this is probably done to keep the fear of an imminent escalation high in the West and thus reduce military support for Ukraine in the long term.
On the other hand, the comparisons with the Second World War probably also have a domestic political purpose: by pointing out that the current conflict is a continuation of the Soviet Union’s fight against the Third Reich, one can put into perspective the unexpectedly long duration of the war and the high number of Russian casualties in Ukraine, says Russian expert Dmitry Gluchovsky: “If we lost 20 million people during World War II, 180,000 people doesn’t seem so much because it is the continuation of our greatest existential struggle against the evil in the world.”
However, Russia could lose a traditional ally: Armenia may be preparing an affront to the big neighbor. The Kremlin is already sending threats. (smu with material from dpa)
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