NATO turns 70 this year, and there is probably no better gift to that birthday than the ‘Russia scare’ which is vital for the alliance to justify its existence 30 years since its arch-nemesis, the Soviet Union, ceased to exist.

In wake of the Cold War, NATO risked becoming irrelevant as the Warsaw Pact was disbanded and Soviet Union dissolved. Even some NATO scholars floated doubts about NATO’s existence. But, if the Cold War is over, why is NATO still there? There is a telling answer, RT’s Ilya Petrenko explains.

“Let’s keep in mind, if you will, that Vladimir Putin is the greatest gift to NATO since the end of the Cold War,” David Petraeus, a US four-star general and former CIA Director, said this year. “And it has provided a new reason for living, if you will, for NATO.”

READ MORE: Putin is the ‘greatest gift’ to NATO since end of Cold War – ex-CIA head Petraeus

A decade ago, portraying Russia as a major global threat wasn’t as popular as it is now. Even Barack Obama once lambasted the Republican narrative, saying demonizing Russia was part of a Cold War mentality. But these days are over, and the “Russia scare” is back.

That aside, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization marks its 70th anniversary this month, and it looks to be in good shape, at least financially. Many NATO members caved in to Donald Trump’s demand and ramped up their defense expenditures, to Washington’s satisfaction.

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“The United States tries to drum up the notion that Moscow remains that threat, not only to justify continued existence of NATO, but actually to increase spending towards defense,” Michael Maloof, former Pentagon analyst, told RT.

Watch the full episode here.

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