Putin’s ’07 Wehrkunde Speech Warned Against a Unipolar World, Proposed New Global Security Architecture

At his recent speech at the National Press Club, former Reagan Administration Ambassador to the Soviet Union Jack Matlock cited Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Feb. 1, 2007 address to the Wehrkunde international security conference in Munich as evidence that the Russians were warning for some time about the West’s violations of the fundamental agreements that were reached to end the Cold War and bring security and prosperity to all of Europe and Eurasia.

Ambassador Matlock was correct that, in that address, Putin warned of the dangerous consequences of the U.S. pursuit of a policy of a “unipolar world” dominated by Washington. Not only did Putin offer an alternative architecture for global security. He specifically cited his vision for the future role of the BRICS as one new emerging institution that could help forge a just, multipolar new world order.

In his Wehrkunde speech, Putin issued an unambiguous warning about the danger of the U.S. pursuing a unipolar global order. He spelled out exactly how Soviet and American leaders had reached a detailed agreement for the reunification of Germany, the end of the Warsaw Pact, and guarantees that NATO would not encroach further eastward.

“I consider that the unipolar model is not only unacceptable but also impossible in today’s world,”

Putin told the audience of world leaders. He specifically went on to cite the emerging role of the BRIC countries as a key element of a new world architecture.

“We must search for a reasonable balance between the interests of all participants in the international dialogue. Especially since the international landscape is so varied and changes so quickly in light of the dynamic development in a whole number of countries and regions.

“Madam Federal Chancellor already mentioned this. The combined GDP measured in purchasing power parity of countries such as India and China is already greater than that of the United States. And a similar calculation with the GDP of the BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China surpasses the cumulative GDP of the EU. And according to experts, this gap will only increase in the future.

“There is no reason to doubt that the economic potential of the new centres of global economic growth will inevitably be converted into political influence and will strengthen multipolarity.”

Putin went on to characterize the expansion of NATO as

“a serious provocation that reduces the level of mutual trust. And we have the right to ask: against whom is this expansion intended? And what happened to the assurances our western partners made after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact? Where are those declarations today? No one even remembers them. But I will allow myself to remind this audience what was said. I would like to quote the speech of NATO General Secretary Mr Woerner in Brussels on 17 May 1990. He said at the time that: the fact that we are ready not to place a NATO army outside of German territory gives the Soviet Union a firm security guarantee. Where are these guarantees?

“… We should not forget that the fall of the Berlin Wall was possible thanks to a historic choice—one that was made by our people, the people of Russia—a choice in favor of democracy, freedom, openness and a sincere partnership with all the members of the big European family.”

As Ambassador Matlock told his audience this week, Putin made absolutely clear what Russia’s concerns were, and offered a way out of the building conflict. Unfortunately, as the Ambassador lamented, no one paid any attention to Putin’s offer. He was demonized for his Wehrkunde speech and accused of threatening a New Cold War.

Several months after that speech in Munich, President Putin made his famous visit to George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush at Kennebunkport, Maine and extended the offer to renew the joint effort at strategic defense.

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