Leaders participating in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit pose for a group photo in Washington, D.C., the United States, July 9, 2024. (NATO/Handout via Xinhua)
ZAGREB, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) must not become a tool of the United States to implement its policies around the world, acting as the extended arm of Washington's influence, Mladen Plese, a Croatian political analyst, said in an interview with Xinhua on Wednesday.
"The United States has used NATO to implement its policies and has a decisive influence on NATO, this is not good for the European partners. NATO must not be an extended arm of Washington, and more and more European countries are warning about this," Plese said.
According to the analyst, NATO should fulfill such function as preserving peace and preventing conflicts, rather than starting or getting involved in wars and military conflicts around the world, as it has done in recent years under the guidance of the United States.
The Ukraine crisis is the latest example of U.S. influence, he said.
Moreover, the United States has tried to strengthen NATO through its increased engagement in East Asia, which is not in the interests of Europe, according to Plese.
"NATO is being used in the name of American interests to tighten the situation in the Asia-Pacific region, which does not correspond to the interests of Europe at all," Plese said. "That is why I believe that the time will come when Europeans will develop their own defense forces, which will not be dependent on NATO."
Plese made the remarks as NATO holds its summit from July 9-11 in Washington. Established during the early stages of the Cold War, NATO is now confronting a changing global landscape characterized by multipolarity, prompting discussions about its continued relevance. ■