Europe’s response to Russian hybrid attacks must be painful, while there is currently no immediate military threat from Russia.
This was discussed during the Euronews Defense Summit in Brussels, which was attended by leaders of countries and intergovernmental organizations, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on Russia to stop making nuclear threats after media reports that Moscow had sent the Alliance a letter stating that it was prepared to use its nuclear arsenal if its territory were attacked.
“We are a defensive alliance. Stop the nuclear threat. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful. And particularly stop the war in Ukraine, which is an unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine,” Rutte said.
He also noted that NATO is not facing an “immediate threat” from Russia despite an increase in hybrid attacks across the continent.
Rutte said that NATO would detect any Russian buildup of forces and respond accordingly, adding that the Alliance had prepared for such a scenario and conducted relevant exercises. “If there is a buildup of forces [by Russia], we will see it and respond if something happens: “We have prepared for this and conducted the relevant exercises”.
Meanwhile, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev expressed concern about the possibility of a Russian nuclear strike and called on European leaders to turn to diplomacy to prevent the “worst-case scenario.”
“There is a nuclear factor. We have to take this into account. We cannot close our eyes to the fact that there are nuclear weapons on our continent, that nuclear weapons are in Russia’s arsenal. And this is part of the strategic calculations,” Radev said.
Meanwhile, EU Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius rejected the idea of stepping up diplomatic engagement with Russia, warning that previous attempts had failed.
“The Russian position is absolutely clear: Ukraine has to capitulate — that is their diplomatic position. Putin has to understand that ultimately he will achieve nothing through this war, and he has to feel that the war is coming to Russia itself,” Kubilius said.
The EU commissioner also noted that Europe’s response to Russian hybrid attacks should be “just as painful” for Moscow.
“If we are subjected to Russian hybrid attacks, our responses have to be just as painful as the attack itself. How exactly to inflict that pain is up to us,” Kubilius said.
U. S. Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder criticized efforts to enshrine a “Made in Europe” requirement in rearmament initiatives, saying this risks alienating NATO allies and undermining collective security.
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“When human lives are at stake, decisions must be based on capability and availability, not geography. We cannot afford to create internal barriers,” the diplomat said.
He proposed a “Made in NATO” approach as an alternative that would provide broader access for U. S. defense companies, which risk losing lucrative contracts because of the more restrictive “Made in Europe” concept promoted by France.
“We are stronger when we work together. We must succeed together,” Puzder said.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken had earlier warned his European counterparts that Europe faces a “dark winter” due to the growing number of hybrid threats. He urged Europe to act “much faster” to build up air defense capabilities to protect the continent from Russian air attacks, particularly to counter jet-powered drones “flying at a speed of 600 kilometers per hour.”
According to Francken, Europe “needs air defense, air defense, air defense,” as well as larger stocks, increased production and a stronger industrial base. “Everything needs to happen faster,” he emphasized.
Read also: NATO responses to Russian attacks will not always be public or tit-for-tat – Rutte
As previously reported by Ukrinform, FirePoint CEO Iryna Terekh said that Russia no longer has a safe rear area where it can hide elements of its military machine from Ukrainian strikes, thanks to the long-range Flamingo missiles.
Photo: NATO