In March 2022, Russia invades Ukraine and declares war on Ukraine. Powerful Russian President Vladimir Putin is steadfast in his attempt to subdue Ukraine. He stuck to his cause despite economic sanctions and setbacks from countries around the world. He claimed he would fight it out and publicly threatened to use nuclear weapons against the West if a NATO member or any other country provided Ukraine with military support.
For many who lived through the Cold War, especially in Europe, it was a chilling throwback to a time when many countries had stockpiles of nuclear missiles ready to launch. Will Europe and the rest of the world experience a Cold War restart or Cold War second edition?
In 2018, filmmaker Andreas Orth provided a barometric reading of the geopolitical situation in Europe, drawing on insights into nuclear war from international experts. They firmly believe that a nuclear war is more likely today than at any point during the Cold War.
In 1987, the United States and the then Soviet Union signed the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces) Treaty to eliminate all ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of up to 5,500 km. When the Cold War “officially” ended in 1991 and European nations phased out their nuclear weapons, old bunkers were quickly transformed into tourist attractions and even revels.
In 2018, however, there has been a dramatic increase in military posturing, overflights, and many other old-fashioned Cold War-era military maneuvers and maneuvers, especially from Russia. Nuclear weapons are suddenly being tested in the United States on behalf of the European countries that possess them. Due to Putin’s long-term violations and non-compliance with the treaty, President Trump also abruptly withdrew from the INF Treaty with the approval and support of NATO.
Orth recently interviewed the same experts again for their latest update on the Ukraine war, and they all agree that European governments are slowly reorganizing and rebuilding their stockpiles.
Nor should Putin’s threat be underestimated. There are signs that Russia’s strategic nuclear bases are being rebuilt or restored. The current risk of nuclear radiation is very high.
As the world watched this unfold, it became clear that more nuclear weapons, like those of the Cold War, would increase insecurity, suspicion, and fear. Let’s hope we don’t witness the end of a peaceful period in our collective history.
Directed by: Andreas Orth
