Fears of Vladimir Putin launching an attack on the West are growing as he makes thinly veiled threats to the West, over support for Ukraine – which he invaded in February 2022. The Russian President’s ambiguous rhetoric over the spread of Russia’s conflict to other nations within Europe is intensifying fears of the potential for World War III breaking out.
Fears are growing following a recent interview with Belgium’s Chief of Defence, Michel Hofman, in which he raised the alarm over the escalating threat posed by Russia to Eastern Europe.
He said during the interview with VRT News: “I think we are right to be concerned. The language used by the Kremlin and by President Vladimir Putin is always ambiguous.
“It is possible that they might open a second front at some point in the future, in Moldova, or in the Baltic states.”
The news comes as it was announced earlier this year than cuts were planned for Britain’s Armed Forces – a decision which was slammed as ‘completely nuts’, by former defence minister Lord Robathan.
The Tory peer attacked the Government’s proposals, reports Forces.net, which include cutting the size of the regular army from 82,000 troops to 73,000 by 2025.
This would leave the British army with a total capacity of 100,000 – including reservists.
This decision is in direct contrast to elsewhere in Europe, as countries including Poland and Germany have been funnelling money into their armed forces to make them ‘war ready’.
Given the concerns about escalating global conflict, Express.co.uk readers are being asked whether the UK and Europe is ready to defend themselves against Russia.
Vote on whether you think the UK and Europe are able to defend themselves against Russia below.
In September this year, Poland announced it was aiming to become the ‘strongest army in Europe’, as concerns grow over its border with Belarus, which is run by infamous Putin-ally Aleksandr Lukashenko.
In November last year, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said: “The Polish army must be so powerful that it does not have to fight due to its strength alone.
“We want peace, and if we want that we must prepare for war – in connection with that, we are strengthening the Polish Army in contrast to those who governed until 2015.”
Last month, Germany announced plans to make its military ‘fit for war’. Chancellor Olaf Scholz committed to Germany’s resisting Russian aggression following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
He said: “The issue at the heart of this is whether power is allowed to prevail over the law. Whether we permit Putin to turn back the clock to the nineteenth century and the age of the great powers. Or whether we have it in us to keep warmongers like Putin in check.
“That requires strength of our own.”
