NATO Will Never Be the Same

Summary

In this episode of America Uncovered, Chris Chappell discusses NATO's recent decisions, particularly regarding Ukraine, highlighting the Washington Summit Declaration, which includes military aid, training, and a pledge of long-term security assistance. Despite the support, Ukraine's challenges with F-16 pilot training and Russia's superior air force are noted, emphasizing NATO's cautious approach to prevent escalation.

Takeaways

• 🎉 NATO celebrated its 75th anniversary in Washington, D.C.
• 🤦‍♂️ The summit was overshadowed by various distractions, including calls within the Democratic Party to replace President Biden.
• 🛡️ NATO committed to long-term security assistance for Ukraine, including $43 billion in funding and the provision of military equipment and training.
• ✈️ The first F-16 jet fighters will be operational in Ukraine by the end of this summer, with Ukraine expected to have 60 to 80 jets by the end of the year.
• 🇺🇦 Despite the aid, Ukraine is frustrated with the slow pace of F-16 pilot training programs.
• 🌍 NATO's incremental support approach is meant to avoid escalation with Russia but is seen as insufficient for Ukraine to win the conflict.
• 📜 The 2008 Bucharest Summit declaration stated that Georgia and Ukraine would eventually join NATO, though no timeline was provided.
• 🔄 The 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia shifted Ukraine's orientation towards NATO, with increased support for joining the alliance.
• 💡 NATO has recognized the need to ramp up defense spending and production, addressing modern warfare requirements and reducing dependency on Russian energy.
• 🛠️ NATO criticized Iran, North Korea, and China for their roles in supporting Russia's war efforts and highlighted the threat these countries pose to Western security.

Q & A

What is the significance of the NATO summit mentioned in the script?

The NATO summit mentioned in the script is significant because it marked NATO's 75th anniversary and led to important decisions regarding military support for Ukraine, which is not a NATO member.

What does the Washington Summit Declaration include regarding Ukraine?

The Washington Summit Declaration includes the decision to coordinate the provision of military equipment and training for Ukraine, a Pledge of Long-Term Security Assistance, a commitment to fund Ukraine at a minimum of $43 billion within the next year, and the appointment of a NATO Senior Representative in Ukraine.

How many F-16 jet fighters is Ukraine expected to receive by the end of the year according to the script?

Ukraine is expected to receive somewhere between 60 to 80 F-16 jet fighters by the end of the year.

What additional air defense systems are mentioned in the script to be provided to Ukraine?

The script mentions that Ukraine will receive 5 additional air defense systems, including Patriot batteries.

What is the issue with the F-16 pilot training programs according to Politico?

The issue with the F-16 pilot training programs, as reported by Politico, is that they do not have enough capacity, with only 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots expected to graduate by the end of the year, which is half of the number needed to operate a full squadron of 20 jets.

How does the script describe NATO's approach to supporting Ukraine in the conflict with Russia?

The script describes NATO's approach as slow and incremental, aimed at helping Ukraine fight but not necessarily win, in order to prevent escalation with Russia.

What historical event in 2008 is mentioned in the script that is related to NATO and Ukraine?

The script mentions the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, where it was declared that Georgia and Ukraine would eventually join NATO, although no timeline or plan was given.

What major change in NATO's perception occurred after the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014?

After Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, support for Ukraine joining NATO increased significantly, and NATO reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine.

How did the Trump Administration view NATO's defense spending prior to the Ukraine conflict?

The Trump Administration viewed NATO's defense spending as insufficient, with the US covering a majority of the budget, and suggested that other NATO countries should boost their defense spending.

What are some of the major changes NATO has recognized and implemented due to the Ukraine conflict?

Major changes recognized and implemented by NATO due to the Ukraine conflict include ramping up ammunition production, addressing the risk of mineral shortages, adapting a military posture for modern warfare, and increasing defense spending.

How does the script suggest that the situation with authoritarian countries has changed NATO's stance?

The script suggests that NATO now recognizes authoritarian countries as a unified axis attempting to undermine the West, leading to criticism of Iran, North Korea, and China for their support of Russia in the conflict with Ukraine.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 NATO's Critical Decisions and Ukraine's Role

NATO has faced criticism for its decisions, especially regarding Ukraine. Recently, NATO leaders met in Washington, D.C., celebrating NATO's 75th anniversary. The summit resulted in significant outcomes, including the Washington Summit Declaration, which focuses on providing military equipment and training to Ukraine, a pledge of long-term security assistance, and the appointment of a NATO Senior Representative in Ukraine. NATO announced the delivery of F-16 jet fighters and additional air defense systems to Ukraine. However, issues such as insufficient F-16 pilot training capacity remain. Despite generous support, NATO's incremental approach appears to be helping Ukraine fight but not win, highlighting the need to understand the historical context of NATO's relationship with Ukraine.

05:00

💥 The Evolution of NATO and Its Challenges

NATO's stance has evolved significantly due to the Ukraine conflict. The 2008 Bucharest summit indicated that Georgia and Ukraine would eventually join NATO, but it lacked a concrete timeline. Ukraine's orientation towards NATO strengthened post-Euromaidan and the 2014 Crimea annexation by Russia. The Madrid Summit in 2022 reaffirmed NATO's commitment to Ukraine. NATO, once considered obsolete post-Cold War, faced challenges with defense spending, particularly during the Trump Administration. Trump's warnings about energy dependence on Russia and defense budget contributions were initially dismissed but later acknowledged as crucial. The ongoing war has forced NATO to reassess its military posture and production capacities, leading to increased defense spending and recognition of threats from authoritarian countries like Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China.

Keywords

💡NATO

NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance formed in 1949. The video discusses NATO's recent decisions and their impact, particularly in relation to Ukraine. It highlights NATO's commitment to providing military support and long-term security assistance to Ukraine, despite Ukraine not being a member of the alliance.

💡Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe that has been in conflict with Russia since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. The video focuses on Ukraine's ongoing struggle and its effect on NATO's policies and actions. It underscores how Ukraine's situation has pushed NATO to increase its support and rethink its strategies.

💡Washington Summit Declaration

The Washington Summit Declaration refers to the statement made by NATO leaders during their recent summit in Washington, D.C. It includes commitments to coordinate military equipment and training for Ukraine, pledge long-term security assistance, and appoint a NATO Senior Representative in Ukraine. This declaration signifies NATO's enhanced support for Ukraine.

💡F-16 jet fighters

F-16 jet fighters are advanced military aircraft that NATO plans to send to Ukraine. The video mentions that Ukraine will receive 60 to 80 F-16s by the end of the year, despite the challenges in pilot training. This decision represents a significant increase in military aid to Ukraine.

💡Euromaidan

Euromaidan refers to the series of protests in Ukraine in 2013-2014 that led to the ousting of the Ukrainian president and reoriented the country towards NATO. The video uses Euromaidan to explain the shift in Ukraine's foreign policy and its growing alignment with NATO, especially after Russia's annexation of Crimea.

💡Nord Stream 2 pipeline

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a natural gas pipeline that runs from Russia to Germany. The video discusses how reliance on Russian energy, exemplified by projects like Nord Stream 2, was criticized by former US President Trump. This dependence is now seen as a strategic mistake, especially in light of the Ukraine conflict.

💡Defense spending

Defense spending refers to the budget allocated for military and defense purposes. The video highlights how NATO countries, particularly during the Trump administration, were urged to increase their defense spending. This has become more critical with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, prompting NATO to boost its military readiness.

💡Russia

Russia is a country in Eastern Europe and Asia that has been in conflict with Ukraine and has historically been seen as a rival to NATO. The video details Russia's actions, such as the annexation of Crimea and the support for separatists in Eastern Ukraine, which have led to increased NATO support for Ukraine.

💡Jens Stoltenberg

Jens Stoltenberg is the Secretary-General of NATO. The video references his admission that Europe made a mistake by becoming dependent on Russian oil and gas. His statements underline the shift in NATO's approach and the need for increased defense and strategic autonomy.

💡China

China is identified in the video as a growing threat to NATO security due to its provision of dual-use equipment and microelectronics to Russia. This support enables Russia to build military equipment used against Ukraine, illustrating the broader geopolitical challenges NATO faces beyond just Russia.

Highlights

NATO leaders met in Washington, D.C. and celebrated NATO’s 75th anniversary.

NATO announced the decision to coordinate the provision of military equipment and training for Ukraine.

NATO pledged long-term security assistance for Ukraine, committing a minimum of $43 billion within the next year.

The first F-16 jet fighters will be operational in Ukraine by the end of the summer, with Ukraine expected to have 60 to 80 jets by the end of the year.

Ukraine will receive 5 additional air defense systems, including Patriot batteries.

The US announced a new $2.3 billion military aid package for Ukraine.

The F-16 pilot training programs are not meeting capacity needs, with only 20 Ukrainian pilots expected to graduate by the end of the year.

NATO’s incremental support for Ukraine aims to prevent escalation with Russia, but it may not be enough for Ukraine to win.

In 2008, NATO declared that Georgia and Ukraine would eventually join NATO, but provided no timeline.

Ukraine reoriented towards NATO after the 2014 Euromaidan and the annexation of Crimea by Russia.

NATO reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine during the Madrid Summit in 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion.

There was a belief that NATO was obsolete post-Cold War, as there seemed no threat of a war with Russia.

Trump urged NATO countries to boost their defense spending and warned against energy dependence on Russia.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg admitted Europe's mistake of becoming dependent on Russian oil and gas.

NATO now criticizes Iran, North Korea, and China for providing support to Russia in various forms.

Transcripts

NATO has made some pretty bad decisions.  Decisions that led to this . But now,  

Ukraine is forcing NATO to rethink everything.

Welcome to America Uncovered. I’m Chris Chappell.

Last week, NATO leaders met in Washington,  D.C. and celebrated NATO’s 75th anniversary.

But there’s a good chance you might  not have picked up on it. We were all  

a bit distracted at the time. Not by the failed  Trump assassination—that hadn’t happened yet. 

I’m talking about Democratic Party leaders wanting  

to replace Biden for making repeated  and embarrassing gaffes, like this:

“And now I want to hand it over to  the president of Ukraine who has as  

much courage as he has determination.  Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.”

But there were some important things  that came out of the NATO summit,

Especially when it came to Ukraine, which,  as a reminder, is *not* a member of NATO.

Among them is the Washington Summit Declaration.

In the declaration is the decision to  coordinate the provision of military  

equipment and training for Ukraine, make  a Pledge of Long-Term Security Assistance  

for Ukraine to continue funding Ukraine at a  minimum of $43 billion within the next year,  

and appoint a NATO Senior  Representative in Ukraine.

NATO members also announced that  the first F-16 jet fighters are  

on their way and will be operational  in Ukraine by the end of this summer. 

Which is insanely generous for a  country that isn’t even a member. 

Ukraine will reportedly have  somewhere between 60 to 80  

of these jet fighters by the end of the year.

This is in addition to 5 additional air  defense systems, including Patriot batteries,  

that Biden announced earlier at the Summit…

and the US announcement of a new $2.3  billion military aid package a week earlier.

While Ukraine most certainly welcomes this news,  

these alone likely won’t tip the  scales in the Ukraine conflict.

As a matter of fact,  

Ukraine has long been frustrated with  the US over its F-16 pilot training.

According to Politico, the F-16 pilot training  programs just don’t have enough capacity. 

“A total of 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots  are expected to graduate by the end  

of this year—half of the 40 needed to  operate a full squadron of 20 jets.”

So why is NATO giving Ukraine 60 to 80 jets?!

But even if Ukraine had trained  pilots for all the F-16s delivered,  

they’d still be outnumbered by Russia’s  numerically superior air force.

This is to say that the US and  Europe have been taking a slow,  

incremental approach in supporting  Ukraine to prevent escalation with Russia.

But in doing so, it seems like NATO is  only helping Ukraine fight but not win.

So a little history is in order to really  understand how Ukraine has changed NATO  

and how the situation got to where it is  now. Because — as it turns out — you can’t  

summarize decades of geopolitics in a meme. I  know, I tried. Surprised this didn’t go viral.

Back in 2008, NATO held a summit in Bucharest  where it declared Georgia and Ukraine would  

eventually join NATO, though it gave no timeline  or plan to execute this momentous decision.

Ukraine’s dedication to NATO membership declined  significantly beginning in 2010 until the  

Euromaidan in 2014, when the president of Ukraine  was ousted. Ukraine then reoriented to NATO. 

And when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014,  support for joining NATO increated a lot.

NATO reaffirmed its commitment to  Ukraine during the Madrid Summit  

in 2022 a few months after Russia invaded,  and NATO hasn’t quite been the same since.

You see, for a long time there was an  idea that NATO was kind of obsolete.

The Cold War was over. 

We could all do business now! 

Even if it was with dictators. 

People called it the end of history. The liberal,  

democratic world order won. So why should  NATO countries spend a bunch of money on  

defense? There’s no way a war with  Russia was going to happen, right? Right?

This was actually a major issue during the Trump  

Administration. The US was covering a  majority of the NATO defense budget. 

So in 2018, Trump suggested the other NATO  countries should boost their defense spending.

He also warned against energy  dependence on Russia and singled  

out the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would  make countries like Germany Russia’s captive.

Germans laughed at Trump for warning  against relying on Russian oil. 

Germans assumed they could go on living  as though they’re at the end of history,  

and they could totally work with people  like Russian leader Vladmir Putin .

After all, why couldn’t  they just be good neighbors?

But surprise, surprise, people like  Putin want more than just trade.

NATO Secretary-General Jens  Stoltenberg admitted earlier  

this year that Europe made a mistake of  becoming dependent on Russian oil and gas.

But the Ukraine war forced NATO countries

to call for ramping up ammunition production...

Address the risk of mineral shortages...

and to adapt a military posture  that can tackle modern warfare.

And yes

NATO even raised its defense spending.

These are things that were  unthinkable ten years ago.

As for believing we can all just get  along with authoritarian countries,  

NATO now recognizes that they are becoming a  unified axis attempting to undermine the West.

That’s why NATO is now criticizing Iran  for providing UAVs to Russia’s war…

and criticizing North Korea for providing  artillery shells and ballistic missiles…

NATO also called out China .

“China provides dual use equipment,  microelectronics, a lot of other tools,  

which are enabling Russia to build  the missiles, to build the bombs,  

to build the aircraft, to build the  weapons they are using to attack Ukraine.”

“So this means that China is  a threat to our security.”

That’s what China Uncensored’s Chris Chappell  has been saying for years! I guess better late  

than never. People should really listen to  that guy. He makes a lot of good points.

These are all major changes that never would have  happened to NATO had it not been for Ukraine. And  

it’s a good thing they’re wising up. Otherwise,  this really might have been the end of history. 

And not in a good way.

If you like America Uncovered’s  non-partisan take on news and politics,  

be sure to subscribe, smash that  like button, and support the show  

on Patreon. All it takes is a dollar an  episode. Just click that orange button.

I’m also trying to get around YouTube censorship  by hiding controversial topics in gaming content.  

Check out the latest episode of my new show Deep  Thoughts While Gaming. It’s about Detroit Become  

Human and it’s called “If A Robot Identifies  As a Woman…”.  It’s fun. Give it a click.

Once again, I’m Chris Chappell.  Thanks for watching America Uncovered.