“New Russian security treaty can replace NATO”

John Laughland, the Director of Studies from the Institute of Democracy and Cooperation, has said that the United States would never allow the Russia-backed European military agreement to undermine NATO.

Laughland said in an interview with Russia Today that the draft treaty submitted by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev envisages the obligations of collective security – if one member of the treaty faces a military attack, the rest are obliged to engage as well. “Of course, that is not what Russia was saying, because it knows that such a plan would never be accepted if it was presented that simply. But the key phrase about collective security and about each member of this proposed new organization, regarding an attack on other members as an attack on itself – is the key-provision of NATO.” Thus, the new Russian treaty, if it is signed by any NATO members, will conflict with NATO charter.

John Laughland went on to say that the Russian draft will meet very strong opposition from the United States, which is very cautious about any threats to its hegemony in NATO. He noted that there will be a lot of skepticism and a lot of opposition, and that the US will do what they can to prevent any serious discussion of this subject.