Europeans advised to stock up on food and water in case of war with Russia

A report on civil and military preparedness in Europe, published on Wednesday, was written by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, who is a special advisor to the President of the European Commission. The 165-page report has already been presented to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

It emphasizes that the EU was not prepared for either the COVID-19 pandemic or Russia's aggression against Ukraine and that it needs to shift "from reaction to proactive preparedness."

Russian aggression as the main threat

While the report does not name Russian aggression as the only possible threat, it indicates that it is the primary one.

"We do not have a clear plan on what the EU will do in the event of armed aggression against a Member State. The threat of war posed by Russia to European security forces us to address this as a centerpiece of our preparedness, without undermining the work to prepare for other major threats," the report states.

The document notes that while the threat of Russian aggression is most acutely felt by its immediate neighbors, any actions by Russia against an EU member state will affect all 27 countries in the bloc.

"The territorial integrity and political independence of every Member State is inextricably linked with that of other Member States, and the EU as a whole," the report states.

It also mentions that empowering citizens should be "at the core" of a comprehensive readiness strategy and that the bloc should raise awareness and encourage self-sufficiency among its population.

It also suggests other pan-European measures, indicating that at least 20% of the overall budget of the bloc should be allocated to strengthening security and crisis preparedness. It also proposes a plan for increased intelligence sharing among EU countries.

Other emergencies

EU member states are also advised to provide their citizens with guidance on stockpiling supplies, evacuation, and access to emergency services, among other things.

"As part of this strategy, the EU should advise households to be prepared to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours in the event of an emergency," it says.

A survey included in the report outlines various necessities for households in case of an emergency, including food, drink, and medicine supplies, a flashlight, and a battery-operated radio.

"The advice aims to prepare EU citizens for emergencies ranging from another pandemic to extreme weather or armed aggression," the report states.

Threat to Europe from Russia

Back in 2022, US President Joe Biden stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not intend to stop only in Ukraine. If NATO did not respond, war and chaos would threaten all of Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently emphasized this as well. As recently as November 2023, Zelenskyy stated that Russia, along with Iran, is behind the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East. However, Russia wants to ignite wars in other regions of the world as well.