New Russian escalation ahead, Danish leader warns Europe
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (photo: Getty Images)
Europe could face a new wave of Russian aggression as the Kremlin is actively laying the groundwork to expand the conflict beyond Ukraine, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza.
Hybrid warfare risks
The Danish prime minister stressed that it is currently impossible to predict exactly where or in what form the next escalation might occur, but she said such a scenario is entirely realistic.
Denmark's assessment of the threat aligns with Poland's stances, given its historical experience of resisting Russian expansion.
According to Frederiksen, the most likely tool the Kremlin would use to expand its aggression into European countries is hybrid warfare methods.
"Maybe an operation under a false flag? Or some new form of hybrid warfare? It is happening everywhere, Russians are constantly violating borders," she suggested.
What holds Kremlin back
Frederiksen noted that the only factor currently restraining Russia from broader action against other states is the massive losses its forces are suffering on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The Russian army is effectively stuck, while the war is consuming most of the Kremlin's military and human resources.
She added that Europe is now significantly better prepared for Russian threats than a few years ago, but stressed that the war launched by Russia directly concerns the security of the entire continent.
"The conclusion can only be one. And it has not changed since the beginning of this war: we must support Ukraine with all our strength and at any cost," the Danish prime minister said.
Background
In recent months, European Union officials have increasingly warned about the risk of Russia expanding its war beyond Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has cautioned that Moscow continues to pursue its strategic objectives and may attempt to shift the security balance in Europe by increasing pressure and hardline rhetoric toward the Baltic states.
At the same time, Russia's military and political leadership has been seeking to justify its actions internationally. According to Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, Moscow is attempting to draw Asia into a hybrid war against the West, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov openly threatens European leaders, blaming the United States and its allies for creating security risks for the Kremlin.
Meanwhile, the Russian domestic situation is forcing the leadership to maneuver. According to Western media reports, amid a deepening economic crisis and public fatigue with the war, Russian officials are searching for an "image of victory" to sell a potential future peace deal with Ukraine to a domestic audience.
