Cover Osteuropa 1-2/2019

In Osteuropa 1-2/2019

An arena, but not a player
Europe between two nuclear powers

Katarzyna Kubiak


Deutsche Fassung

Abstract

The US has announced its withdrawal from the treaty on the prohibition of medium-range rockets. Washington is only willing to revoke this decision if Moscow refutes accusations of violating the agreement. However, Russia also accuses the US of being in infringement of the treaty. The European NATO states are most directly affected by this new situation, but have almost no political clout. Also, while states such as Germany want the INF Treaty to be upheld, or a new treaty to be brought into being, others such as Poland see a threat that can only be averted through counter-armament. The post-Soviet member states are similarly powerless and divided. Belarus and Kazakhstan are incapable of persuading their major ally Russia to fall in line with the demands of the US, while Ukraine is an adversary of Moscow anyway.

(Osteuropa 1-2/2019, pp. 113–118)