Why Are So Many Leaders Warning Of War With Russia?

18 comments

1. SS: NATO chief Mark Rutte and other European leaders have issued repeated warnings in 2025 about a possible Russian attack on NATO countries in the coming years. Some experts doubt Russia’s capability or intent to attack soon, but say Putin may provoke conflict in the longer term to maintain power.

   A recent think tank report warns Estonia could be targeted, though it estimates Russia would need 5-10 years to rebuild for such an attack.

2. Because they need to to scare mongering to keep public opinion (which has been shifting to the right) to move funds required to keep supporting Ukraine.

   Sometimes simplest explanations is the right one.

3. It’s simple, right now Ukraine and Russia are the only European countries with large battle tested armies, both could probably steamroll through Europe.

   If the 700,000 strong Russian expeditionary force in Ukraine wasn’t occupied at the moment, it could very well march on Europe and the Europeans know that apart from superiority in the air, they have little to offer, especially with the American backstop under question.

   Thus by ringing alarm bells about a conflict with Russia, they are conditioning their electorate for the additional military spending that is needed in order to bridge the gap in readiness and capabilities. Without the increased level of anxiety, the taxpayers will be skeptical.

4. We’re already at war with Russia. Poisonings, drones over airports and military sites, arson attacks, several cyberattacks a week, troll farms spreading division on social media to destabilise society, interference in elections. Threats to nuke UK cities.

   It’s an undeclared war.

5. Overcompensation for decades of “end of history” and wars becoming the thing you read about on wikipedia or play in fps games. So now EU cranked the lever to the opposite end. Announcements about war with Russia in x+3 years are supposed to help mobilize resources to rearm quicker, though I’m not sure how effective this messaging really is (if not counterproductive because at some point telling Brits to “learn Russian” might make you look ridiculous).

6. – Because Russian officials have repeatedly warned that they [could strike targets inside NATO countries](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/russia-launches-attacks-ukraine-as-putin-warns-countries-who-interfere-consequences-you-have-never-seen). Or [provide weapons to anyone who wants to do so.](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn44r9zjnpjo) [Hell, they even warned about freaking nuclear attack ! ](https://www.newsweek.com/russia-putin-nuclear-warning-nato-catastrophic-11254685)And not just once, but they have been repeatedly saying so since the beginning of Ukraine War. What would the US do if China were to do the same ? Downplay China’s statements and turn a blind eye ?

   – Because dictators aren’t exactly known for sound judgements. History is chock-full of stupid decisions from authoritarian figures. Just recently, Cambodia under Hun Sen clashed with Thailand despite knowing they are completely out of league. Why sitting around and hoping that Putin won’t do something unfathomable ?

   >“As we know, Russia is not a democracy. Such a decision would essentially just be a result of Vladimir Putin deciding that he wanted to attack a European country which is a NATO member state, or another European country, so we just have no way of knowing,” Elizabeth Braw, of the RUSI defense and security think tank, told RFE/RL’s Russian Service.

   >“That’s why you see military leaders all over Europe saying we have to be prepared for something to happen tomorrow. It may happen five years, 10 years from now or never, but you can’t bank on it.”

7. Well, may be because Russia already invaded neighbor country?
   Also now Russian government has a really hard time to leave without war from internal policy standpoint.

8. Readiness is a deterrent. By turning up the alarm to 11, it is easier to get funding.

   To put it this way – Russia will never, ever attack UK without such acts resulting in WW3. But it is obviously better to be prepared, in order to deter Russia – by letting Russia know that any major attack will be met by a strong and united Europe. Even if US for whatever reason decides to not honor Article 5 for the next 3 years.

9. Rearming is the only “diplomacy” Russia has ever known. I mean, how many times does Putin have to invade or threaten nukes to understand this? “Russia” itself is not a nation, but a long term imperial expansion project. Nothing but an evil to enlightened civilization. It is time to shrink Russia back to its pieces.

10. I feel a lot of the western world and governments spent a few decades living in the clouds of free trade and leaning on the US for assumed defense. COVID taught us how vulnerable free trade had left countries being self-sufficient in critical areas and a framed threat from Russia left countries realizing how screwed they would be in an invasion situation. Do we expect war or another COVID? Hopefully not, but it showed how vulnerable and complacent a lot of countries had become. To change that you need people to support it and the quickest path to that is fear.

11. TLDR: because putin already made one dead-stupid military decision and then doubled down every year for 5 years losing more.

    So he cannot be expected to make logical choices anymore.

12. Putin sees Europe as his “backyard” in same way Trump sees N & S America as America’s backyard. So, in his mind, once he’s dealt with Ukraine, he will start looking at recreating the Russian empire by taking over parts of Europe that were once parts of USSR. He has stated that the collapse of the USSR was a tragedy.

    Utterly ridiculous because he can’t defeat Ukraine. And Europe, if organised appropriately, has the economic and military potential to obliterate Russia. So that’s what European leaders want to do; prepare for war in order to prevent it.

13. Sad that this article needs to be written because anyone paying attention to the last 80 years should understand.

14. Because Putin needs “Lebensraum”

15. >radio free Europe

    Please take your NED rag elsewhere. This article is so completely out of touch with the situation in Europe, it might as well be written by Hegseth or some other clown working for the current US administration.

16. because russia keeps starting invasive wars. next dumb question

17. [removed]

18. war is a good distraction from economic problems and inequality

    otherwise, people might start wondering why the rich are still buying 100 million dollar yachts when most people are struggling to pay their rent and buy food/electricity/clothes etc

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