This article was published in the Belgian ALERTE OTAN n° 99, quarterly Bulletin of the Committee Surveillance Otan (CSO) – for the 2nd quarter of 2026.
”Four years after it began, the Russian « Special Military Operation » (SMO) in Ukraine of February 2022 is still designated « invasion » or « unprovoked war of aggression »—terms used by our media and governments, as well as by many peace movement groups and self-described left-wing parties. The CSO always defined the war in Ukraine as « the war of Nato, against Russia, on Ukrainian soil » – a war caused by the increasingly bellicose expansionism of NATO.
This CSO stance drew fierce opposition inside the peace movement, and even ostracism. Any mention of Russia had to be accompanied by the standard refrain: « it’s Putin’s fault. » However, a change of perspective has started to emerge. Major demonstrations have taken place in Belgium against the « Arizona government » [of the prime minister Bart De Wever, leader of the Flemish nationalist New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party. It is a tradition in Belgium to name governments after color combinations. The flag of the South-West Arizona State in the USA displays the 5 colours that happen to be those of the 5 parties of the prime minister coalition. Yellow N-VA, Red (Vooruit), Blue (MR) & Orange (CD&V). Editor’s note].
The ‘Arizona government’ has launched brutal attacks on the social rights of the population. There are now growing calls to oppose this government’s arms-buildup. These calls multiply as they get taken up. Voices are now being raised to say that “it is NATO encircling Russia in Ukraine, and not the other way round. »
NATO is being increasingly seen for what it is: the war machine of the 32 members States of the Atlantic Alliance’. Although these 32 nations compete fiercely between themselves, they all agree to keep their hegemony over the rest of the world.
Trump’s two US presidencies have pushed war frenzy to new extremes. At the 2017 NATO summit in Brussels, Trump threatened to withdraw from the Nato Alliance unless member States committed to spending 2% of their GDP on military capabilities to counter Russia. For the year 2026—now under Trump’s second term—they committed to 5% of GDP for between 2030-35. The NATO meetings focus heavily on the need for more cohesion between troops and military capabilities for war against Russia. The upcoming NATO summit in July 2026 is already signaling further measures in this direction. Conclusions for Belgium: The new military spending hike of the « Arizona » government is a carbon copy of NATO’s demands. Through this program, Belgium is directly participating in NATO’s expansionism in general, and specifically in NATO’s war in Ukraine against Russia. The next NATO summit will devote a significant portion of its agenda to organizing the « division of labor » among the members, to continue the war in Ukraine. No room is being left for diplomacy or peace negotiations. War propaganda against Russia continues, along with the shameless lies that accompany it. By now, expressing even the slightest reservation about this war has become an offence.
It is high time we stopped viewing Russia as our enemy!
Alerte Otan 99 –
https://csotan.org/ao/article.php?ao_id=99&art_id=0 https://www.csotan.org/ao/ao.php
La Russie n’est pas notre ennemie!
Feature image: Nato Summit Ankara, 7-8 July 2026.
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