As the second year of the Ukraine war draws to a close, the stalemate continues. The much-vaunted Ukrainian counter-offensive has failed. However, Russia’s goals haven’t been met either as the US and other NATO member states continue to fill Ukraine’s coffers and restock its armory.
On top of that, NATO’s ongoing military exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 is shaking the ground in Europe reaching Russia’s land border from Norway to its maritime border with Romania. The massive drill threatens a continent-wide escalation of the conflict.
According to reports, more than 90,000 troops, 50 warships, and several squadrons of fighter jets, from 31 member countries and Sweden, are participating in the Steadfast Defender 2024 which started on January 22, making it the largest NATO exercise in Europe since the end of the Cold War.
Under the banner of the NATO exercise, with its 12,000 Bundeswehr soldiers, Germany is also flexing its muscles in the “Quadriga 2024” maneuver to increase its military presence in Scandinavia region and Eastern Europe, including the Baltic. The NATO exercise simulating a defensive operation to protect a member nation from an enemy attack, specifically a Russian attack, is scheduled to last till May 31, 2024.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has warned that NATO’s Steadfast Defender drills are “provocative”, and could potentially lead to “tragic consequences” for Europe.
