VOA常速英语:特朗普当选总统加剧了北约-俄罗斯紧张局势的不确定性

Nuclear-capable Iskander missiles deployed by Moscow in October last year to Kaliningrad,which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania.

Russia has also carried out a series of military exercises along its western frontiers.

NATO has put 300,000 troops on high alert and as also made so-called tripwire deployments in frontline states.

There’s a growing danger of accidental escalation,warns NATO’s former information officer in Moscow, John Lough, now a Chatham House.

“It seems to me that it is actually very important to have mechanisms in place that allow the military establishments to communicate when needed.Because both sides should see that there is in fact the capacity here for some sort of accident.”

NATO is deploying an extra 4,000 multinational troops to the Baltic states and Poland in the coming months.The core NATO principle of collective defense is being revitalized, says Lough.

“NATO is starting if you like from a low base in terms of rebuilding this defensive capability. It’s not the sort of thing that happens overnight;but, I would argue that the evidence of political will here in fact is probably more important.”

But Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. election has triggered uncertainty over the future US commitment to NATO’s primary force.

The U.S. spent 66 billion dollars on defense in 2016; second-placed Britain spent less than a tenth of that figure.President-elect Trump has questioned the United States’ financial burden.And analyst say Moscow is watching with interest.

“Collective defense has actually I think psychologically at least been a huge deterrent for Russia.Trump may change that calculation, if he certainly pledges not to necessarily come to,you know, NATO allies’ help in a situation of need if they haven’t paid their 2 percent defense spending.”

President-elect Trump’s praise for Russian leader Vladimir Putin has rattled Ukraine,which is battling pro-Kremlin rebels in the east.

“That will allow or embolden Russia to maybe test the boundaries of NATO and test the unity of NATO even further, I think.”

It is premature to assume that Donald Trump’s early overtures to Moscow will translate into a lasting day taunt, argues Lough.

“There are going to be areas where they disagree.And the perception of Iran, for example, is one of them and I think that will come to the fore quickly.”

Rearmament on both sides has raised the stakes.The new U.S. administration will likely herald more uncertainty in an increasingly tense environment.

Henry Ridgwell, for VOA news, London.