The Ukraine war could turn out to be the “minor problem,” says Merz. He expects further military conflicts. It is problematic if these are carried out with nuclear powers like China.
Shortly before the anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine, CDU leader Friedrich Merz warned of further conflicts with the potential for nuclear escalation. “The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, as terrible as it rightly seems to us today, could still turn out to be the ‘minor’ problem,” wrote Merz in a guest article for the “Handelsblatt” (Thursday).
“We may have several more military conflicts ahead of us, each of which carries the risk of a nuclear escalation.” At least one major nuclear power, the People’s Republic of China, and at least two future nuclear powers such as North Korea and Iran are on the same path as Russia – that of “military threats and the use of force against neighboring regions or against the entire previous political order.”
Nuclear weapons would not have to be used at all. “Their mere existence changes every war. In Europe and the USA, fear of the use of Russian nuclear weapons has prevented the EU and NATO from even more effectively protecting Ukraine.”
The EU and NATO should muster the will to assert themselves
For the West, it follows that disarmament must be discussed again. “The last major disarmament treaty was signed in Washington on December 7, 1987 between then Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.”
However, the agreement was preceded by a show of strength. “The EU and NATO must muster this will to assert themselves again today.” The Russian attack should not encourage other authoritarian regimes to try the same in their region.
Source: Stern
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