As Russia and the United States celebrate the 71st anniversary of their joint victory in the WWII, the relations between the former allies have deteriorated to a very dangerous level.

One U.S. official after another, including President Barack Obama call Russia the greatest security threat to America. Words are followed by deeds when American guided missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, began a series of maneuvers, less than 50 miles from a Russian military base. There were other similar incidents in the recent days so one can expect at any moment a military clash which may lead to the unpredictable consequences, including the unthinkable WWIII.

To show “toughness” Washington announced a quadrupling of annual spending for American forces in Eastern Europe and moving 4,000 NATO troops, including two U.S. battalions to Poland and Baltic States, right on the Russian border. Angela Merkel is also dutifully providing one battalion.

According to Washington and Brussels all this is done, of course, to protect the Poles and Balts from the almost imminent Russian invasion.

Whatever you think of Putin he is not a madman to start a war with NATO. He is well aware that the Northern alliance is a lot more powerful economically and militarily and in case of nuclear war there will be a total annihilation of the civilization as we know it.

As we celebrate the days of our joint victory in WWII, it is also the time for reflection and for calmly analyzing what went wrong and what must be done in the future because we have to find the new approach to international affairs that can save us from needless confrontation and risk of nuclear war, which is where we find ourselves today.