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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World

Nato offers protection, not provocation

A tank pictured during a Nato training exercise in Poland
A Nato training exercise in Poland. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Simon Jenkins says that “At a more pragmatic level, the turn-of-the-century expansion of Nato to include the Baltics and Poland was blatantly provocative” (Yes, Donald Trump’s Putin comments were unhinged – but he’s right to question Nato’s future, 12 February). Nato is depicted as the one that initiated “the inclusion”. It’s terribly painful to me, and I believe many others from the Baltics, to witness an approach where an author of an article presumes that my country and the others in question were sheepishly absorbed by some administrative military entity just because that entity wished so.

Does Mr Jenkins not realise that it is really horrible to live under occupation of an enemy who ill-treats you, takes away your language, belittles and patronises you, kills your grandparents or deports them to Siberia, controls you everywhere, forbids you to go abroad and gaslights you constantly saying that all of this is normal, beautiful and righteous? Do the above-mentioned countries have a right to ask for protection in order to live normal lives?Please do not patronise us.
Rasa Cuckson
London

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