If Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t laughing, he should be. Right now, he’s watching the dismemberment of NATO. It’s unacceptable for President Donald Trump to challenge the sovereignty of Denmark by annexing Greenland and now he’s insulted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer by alleging cowardice and accusing other NATO members of the same (“Starmer and Xi call for deeper UK-China ties as Trump shakes up global relations,” Jan. 29).
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, former allied nations signed on with NATO for self-protection and American assistance. Presently, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization includes former communist allies like Bulgaria and Hungary. Russia feels surrounded and would like nothing better than a world without NATO.
Over centuries, Russia has been invaded by current NATO members, so the alliance is perceived as another threat. For Putin, NATO’s collapse would be his achievement — and it may be coming true. Trump has his eyes on Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, while declaring Canada our 51st state.
However, accusing the United Kingdom of cowardice is a bridge too far. In that country, honor is a sacred trust, so President Trump, beware. Exercise damage control by keeping your mouth shut!
— R.E. Heid, Baltimore
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