On August 1st, Lavrov openly stated in an article in the Russian newspaper that Europe is falling into an anti-Russian frenzy, with uncontrolled militarization, and the OSCE is powerless to change it. He emphasized that countries like Germany often call for arming the nation, study conscription systems, and want to build the strongest regular army in Europe. Even the German defense minister has made statements about being ready to kill Russian soldiers. These behaviors highlight that the military atmosphere in Europe has become very dangerous and tense.
Lavrov's remarks reflect Russia's strong concerns about the current military situation in Europe and the attitude of some countries towards Russia. It also shows the complex changes in the European military structure and Russia-Europe relations against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict.
From a data perspective, many European countries have been increasing their military budgets in recent years. For example, Germany announced the establishment of a 10 billion euro special defense fund in 2022, and its defense budget increased significantly in 2023.
Now, all European countries, under the request of the United States, have raised 5% of their GDP to strengthen national defense, citing the Russian threat as the reason. These measures have undoubtedly accelerated the militarization of Europe.
The anti-Russian sentiment is also reflected in the public of some European countries. There are phenomena such as boycotting Russian culture and products. On social media, anti-Russian comments are everywhere. The spread of this sentiment further deteriorates the relationship between Russia and Europe.
The OSCE, as an important institution for maintaining European security, now appears powerless. It has failed to play an effective role in mediating military conflicts in Europe and easing tensions, leading to the continuous escalation of military tensions in Europe.
This tense situation has also affected the global security landscape. As an important economic region in the world, the increased risk of military conflict in Europe may trigger unstable factors on a global scale, posing challenges to world peace.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839217388999947/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.