File photo
Most people think the world is more dangerous today than it was two years ago as concerns rise over politically motivated violence and weapons of mass destruction, according to a survey released on Tuesday.
Six out of ten respondents to the survey, commissioned by the Global Challenges Foundation, said the dangers had increased, with conflict and nuclear or chemical weapons seen as more pressing risks than population growth or climate change.
The results come as NATO leaders prepare to meet in Brussels on Wednesday amid growing tensions between the United States and fellow members over defence spending, which some fear could damage morale and play into the hands of Russia.
Russia's defence minister, in a newspaper interview published on Wednesday as NATO began a two-day summit, criticised the United States and the U.S.-led military alliance for moving up forces and bases close to the Russian border."I have long wanted to give American colleagues a globe so they can look at it and explain why the declared 'enemies of America,' are located in the Middle East and the Far East and all their military bases and forces are snuggled up to Russian borders," Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying in the interview with Italian newspaper Il Giornale .Shoigu appeared to be referring to the U.S. missile defence shield, which Washington says is intended to protect against attacks by Iran. Elements of that system are located in eastern Europe, near Russia's western borders.He said that NATO expanded eastwards to Russian borders in spite of promises given to Soviet leaders during German unification.Shoigu also said Russia was ready to return to the idea of supplying advanced S-300 ground-to-air missiles to Syria but Damascus had not made any requests to Russia."Today, after the aggression of the United States, Great Britain and France against Syria, showing the need for a modern air defense system for Syrians, we are ready to return to looking at this question," Shoigu was quoted as saying.Russia in April hinted it would supply the weapons to President Bashar al-Assad, over Israeli objections, after Western military strikes on Syria.But, after a visit to Moscow by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in May, Izvestia newspaper cited a top Kremlin aide as saying that Russia was not in talks with the Syrian government about supplying the missiles and did not think they were needed.
Russia accuses NATO of having bases 'snuggled' up to its borders
"It's clear that our current systems of global cooperation are no longer making people feel safe," said Mats Andersson, vice chairman of the Global Challenges Foundation, in a statement.
Andersson said turbulence between NATO powers and Russia, ongoing conflict in Syria, Yemen and Ukraine and nuclear tensions with North Korea and Iran were making people feel unsafe.
NATO members disagree on many issues including a new Russian gas pipeline to Germany, but the alliance is stronger together and will deliver on boosting defense spending, NATO secretary-general Jen Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.Speaking to reporters an hour after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Germany of 'being captive' to Russian energy supplies, Stoltenberg said it was not up to NATO to decide on the pipeline and that it was a national decision.He also said while Trump had very direct language on defense spending, the allies all agreed on burden sharing and 2017 saw the biggest increase in defense spending in a generation."Despite disagreements, I expect that we will agree on the fundamentals that we are stronger together than apart," he told reporters. 'We have issues with Russia' Germany tells TrumpTrump says added NATO funds not enough for USTrump seen likely to support NATO's Article 5 but wants more spending
NATO chief says despite differences, alliance 'stronger together'
A separate survey commissioned by the Global Challenges Foundation after North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un met U.S. President Donald Trump found people were largely not reassured.
Less than a third of the nearly 5,000 respondents reported feeling less concerned about weapons of mass destruction.
"War is more likely," said Dr Patricia Lewis, director of international security at the think tank Chatham House. "We have a great deal of instability and that is so often a precursor to wars."
U.S. President Donald Trump said his efforts had pushed other NATO countries to contribute more to the Western defence alliance but it was still not enough to offset the burden on U.S. taxpayers."Over the last year, about $40 billion more has been given by other countries to help NATO but that's not nearly enough," Trump told reporters ahead of a NATO summit in Brussels."The United States is spending far too much and other countries are not paying enough, especially some."This has been going on for decades and it is disproportionate and not fair to the taxpayers of the United States and we're going to make it fair. I want to compliment the secretary general, he's worked very hard on this problem."Trump seen likely to support NATO's Article 5 but wants more spending
Trump says added NATO funds not enough for US
"Two large powers are disrupting the established rules. We saw the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and we see the U.S. starting a trade war, ripping up agreements which the rest of us are trying to abide by," said Lewis.
Founded to deter the Soviet threat in 1949, NATO is based on deep cooperation with the United States, which provides for Europe's security with its nuclear and conventional arsenals.
It has found renewed purpose since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, sending battalions to the Baltics and Poland to deter potential Russian incursions.
Of the 1,000 people surveyed in Russia as part of the Global Challenges Foundation analysis, 91 percent thought weapons of mass destruction were the greatest risk to global insecurity.
The survey findings are based on responses from more than 10,000 people in 10 countries surveyed by polling firm ComRes in April this year.
The Global Challenges Foundation promotes discussion of the greatest threats to humanity - issues that could wipe out more than 10 percent of the population - in order to find solutions.