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Transcript/ScriptRussia Ukraine NATO Boost (TV)
HEADLINE: As NATO Support Strengthens, Has Putin Miscalculated Over Ukraine?
TEASER: Several NATO states send reinforcements to eastern Europe as public support for NATO grows
PUBLISHED AT: Thursday, 02/10/2022 at 3:10PM
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, BR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Teams, Skype, APTN, AFP, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:04
VID APPROVED BY: mas
TYPE: VPKGN
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Visiting NATO headquarters Thursday, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that Europe is facing its biggest security crisis in decades – and pledged more military deployments in eastern Europe in response to Russia’s troop build-up on the border with Ukraine. As Henry Ridgwell reports, many observers say Moscow’s actions have brought the NATO alliance closer together.]]
((NARRATOR))
Warships and fighter jets from 28 NATO members conducted exercises off the Italian coast earlier this month. Across eastern Europe, NATO allies are deploying military personnel and hardware.
Britain is strengthening its deployments in Estonia and Poland – and considering further deployments in southeast Europe. NATO’s Secretary-General welcomed Britain’s offer.
((Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General))
“Renewed Russian aggression will lead to more NATO presence, not less.”
((NARRATOR))
The United States has deployed an additional 3-thousand troops to Poland and Romania.
((Col. Joe Ewers, U.S. Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment))
"To build that trust and confidence, to reassure our allies and to strengthen the eastern flank of the NATO alliance."
((NARRATOR))
France is sending troops to Romania.
And Germany – criticized in the past for failing take a harder line on Russia – is boosting its troop deployment in Lithuania.
((Christine Lambrecht, German Defense Minister (in German)))
“We can be relied on, and we are showing that with this strengthening of the battle group.”
((NARRATOR))
Russia’s actions have served to unify NATO, argues analyst Jonathan Eyal.
((Jonathan Eyal, Royal United Services Institute)) ((Teams, no courtesy needed))
“The Russians were demanding not merely an acceptance of a division of Europe into new spheres of influence, but a rollback on all the security arrangements put in
place on the continent since the early 1990s at the end of the Cold War. And that was simply so outrageous, so extreme in its scope that quite frankly it left very little opportunity for countries to disagree.”
((NARRATOR))
Opinion polls show an increase in public support for NATO both in existing member states - and in non-NATO allies including Sweden and Finland. While neither are expected to join the alliance any time soon, both countries have voiced alarm at the Russian troop build-up.
((Sanna Marin, Finnish Prime Minister (in English) ))
“We all want Russia to de-escalate the situation. We want to find peaceful ways out of the situation.”
((NARRATOR))
Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border – a miscalculation argues Eyal.
((Jonathan Eyal, Royal United Services Institute))
“If Russia was thinking of dividing Europe, what they’ve done over the past few months achieved precisely the opposite.”
((NARRATOR))
But Russia believes it has achieved the objective of keeping Ukraine and Georgia out of the alliance, says analyst Alex Titov.
((Alex Titov, Queens University Belfast))
((cf. Skype logo))
“As Putin said several times, membership of NATO (for Ukraine and Georgia) would basically mean war with Russia for all NATO countries.”
((NARRATOR))
Despite Moscow’s denials, many Western leaders still believe Russia is planning to invade Ukraine.
Rather than highlighting NATO’s divisions - many observers say that threat has galvanised the alliance.
Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London
NewsML Media TopicsConflict, War and Peace, Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 10, 2022 17:49 EST
BylineHenry Ridgwell
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
