Obama administration officials are considering Cold War-style containment to rein in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s tightening grip on Eastern Europe, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The updated containment strategy would call for strengthening the militaries of several North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, as well as rooting out corruption in countries bordering Russia. Administration officials believe corrupt bureaucrats may be behind Putin’s increased influence.
Some Obama administration officials have also called for an expansion of NATO in efforts to limit Moscow’s influence. While Ukraine and Georgia, both countries that border Russia, cannot join NATO, some Pentagon and administration officials are quietly lobbying for Montenegro’s admittance to the alliance. This would show Putin doesn’t have a veto over alliance expansion.
The statements of these anonymous Obama officials to the Wall Street Journal come as President Obama meets with the G-7 country leaders in Germany. His talks are expected to include discussions on how to combat climate change, and how to combat full-scale war in Ukraine.
“It’s clear the [economic] sanctions are working on the Russian economy, but what is not apparent is that that effect on his economy is deterring Putin from following the course that was evidenced in Crimea last year,” said Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.
Moscow has not changed its position in response to the devastating economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Europe, which leaves measures like training European partners’ militaries to resist Russia’s surrogate forces the only ones that remain on the table for the G-7 leaders meeting this weekend.
