The risk of a new missile crisis between Russia and the West
Germany's leading newspaper Die Welt fears a new confrontation between the West and Russia on the level of the previous "Cuban missile crisis", but now on the EU's eastern border.
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| The Russian defense industry will triple the number of missiles for defense purposes. Source: vestnikkavkaza.net |
The current situation is similar to the early 1950s and 1960s, when the confrontation between the Soviet Union and Western countries reached its peak, the newspaper wrote. At the same time, it noted that there is currently a crisis in relations between Beijing and Taiwan.
US President Joe Biden said that the main struggle of the 21st century is between democracies and autocracies, which he said are Russia and China. On the other hand, the newspaper noted, the meeting of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with his Chinese counterpart showed the cooperation of Moscow and Beijing, especially in the face of the US projects that go against the UN Charter.
Against this backdrop, the situation in Ukraine is worsening and Beijing is taking a hard line in its relations with Taiwan. At the same time, in contrast to the mid-20th century, China is no longer inferior to Taiwan in terms of potential, and Russia’s current goals are more serious than those of the Soviet Union in dealing with NATO expansion.
"Today, all sides are serious. At least Putin and Biden believe that every step will decide the future for decades," Welt wrote.
In the worst case, the worsening of the situation around Ukraine will lead to a “new Cuban missile” crisis, a nuclear confrontation between the superpowers, not only in the distant Caribbean, but on the eastern border of the EU, and “no one wants that,” Welt warned.