VOA标准英语2014--北约与俄罗斯角力乌克兰

 

NATO Grapples With Russian Moves in Ukraine 北约与俄罗斯角力乌克兰

LONDON — U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Chuck Hagel says Russia’s annexation² of Crimea and involvement in eastern Ukraine are the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War, and he called on NATO allies to respond.

Russian-backed militias³ continue to fight government forces in eastern Ukraine, challenging the country’s new government and, according to Hagel, creating a challenge for the trans-Atlantic alliance.

“We must continue to uphold the credibility of this alliance, and the credibility of the international order that European security has anchored for seven decades,” said Hagel.

Speaking after a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, Hagel said the need for a new security posture⁴ will require European allies to spend more, and they should act before the alliance summit in September.

“Members should arrive at the summit already [having] taken steps in the right direction,” said Hagel.

The NATO meeting also dealt with the changing allied⁵ role in Afghanistan. The combat role will end this year, and the alliance is putting together a force to work with U.S. troops to continue supporting Afghan forces and fighting terrorism.

But it’s not so easy for European countries to agree on defense issues, according to Raoul Ruparel of the Open Europe Institute.

“The Ukraine crisis has once again highlighted the divisions within Europe, particularly on foreign policy and particularly on any form of intervention⁶ in other countries,” said Ruparel.

That has been NATO’s challenge since the fall of the Soviet⁷ Union more than 20 years ago, and it’s something alliance leaders continue to grapple with after 10 years in Afghanistan, as new and unexpected threats continue to emerge.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 annexation   

n.吞并，合并

参考例句：

• He mentioned the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910 .他提及1910年日本对朝鲜的吞并。
• I regard the question of annexation as belonging exclusively to the United States and Texas.我认为合并的问题，完全属于德克萨斯和美国之间的事。

3 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

4 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

5 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

6 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

7 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。