An increasingly belligerent Russian President Vladimir Putin may attack NATO in less than a decade.
In addition, Sweden is in an “even more serious” situation due to a failure to join NATO.
The German Minister of Defense states this in an interview with Der Tagesspiegel.
– We hear threats from the Kremlin almost every day, says German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has turned up its aggressive rhetoric against several of its neighboring countries. On Wednesday, NATO military chief Rob Bauer said that the military alliance is facing “the most dangerous world in decades” and called for a “war change of NATO”, writes Politico.
Just a few weeks ago, the commander-in-chief urged the Swedes to “mentally prepare” for war. On the same day, Sweden’s Minister of Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bohlin also warned that “the war may come to Sweden”.
Now Germany’s Minister of Defense says that the Swedish warnings are “understandable from a Scandinavian perspective”. In an interview with Der Tagesspiegel says Boris Pistorius that Sweden faces “an even more serious situation” given its proximity to Russia and that Sweden is not a member of NATO.
“Living with the danger”
– But we also have to learn to live with the danger again and prepare ourselves: militarily, in society at large and through the civil defense, says Pistorius in the interview.
Pistorius emphasizes that a Russian attack is not likely at the moment but that Europe should be vigilant.
– Our experts expect a period of five to eight years where this could become possible.
Polish leaders have on several occasions gotten into arguments with Russian representatives. In November, former Russian President and Prime Minister Dimitriy Medvedev launched a furious attack on Poland in debate article. He accused Poland of being a “dangerous enemy” with “evil intentions”.
“Russia defies logic”
“Poland’s reckless actions, with hasty support from NATO allies, could have far-reaching and dangerous consequences for the entire world. And then Poland will fulfill the role of the ‘hyena of Europe’ that started World War III,” he wrote.
The harsh rhetoric has prompted Polish politicians to express their concern.
– Russia defies logic. What happened in 2022 seemed impossible. We must be ready for all scenarios, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a television interview earlier this week.