Russia could open second front in Europe - Belgian army chief
Photo: Belgian Army’s Chief of Staff Admiral Michel Hofman (facebook.com / Admiral Michel Hofman)
Russia may open a second front in Europe in the future and attack Moldova or the Baltic countries, says Admiral Michel Hofman, the Chief of Staff of the Belgian army.
The Belgian army's commander urges Europe to prepare, cautioning about a potential war with Russia. He highlights the ongoing aggressive rhetoric of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin's shift towards a "war economy."
"We see that Russia has switched to a war economy. I think we would be right to be worried... It is by no means out of the question that they might open a second front at some time in the future. Either in the south, in Moldova or the Baltic States," stated Admiral Hofman.
He added that such an attack is not ruled out "in a few years' time." According to the Belgian military leader, Russia might be weakened by the war against Ukraine, but it will ultimately rebuild its military machine and restore its armed forces.
"They have already shown that they have the will to attack a neighbor. We have to see that we have the capacity to prevent this happening again and show the will that we are prepared to counterattack if necessary," he emphasized.
NATO and EU's concerns about a potential Russian attack
Recently, analysts from the German Council on Foreign Relations stated that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin might need up to 6 years to rebuild the army and attack NATO.
Earlier, NATO Lieutenant General Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart stated that Russia is restoring its potential and preparing for a possible confrontation with the North Atlantic Alliance.
During the summer, the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, stated that Russia should not be allowed to win in the war against Ukraine, as in that case, the aggressor country might attack other states.
