Russia could threaten Europe by 2030, warns French military chief
General Thierry Burkhard, Chief of the Defense Staff of the French Armed Forces (photo: facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua)
Russia could become a "real threat" to Europe within five years due to the pace of rearmament by the aggressor state, according to General Thierry Burkhard, Chief of the Defense Staff of the French Armed Forces, in an interview with The Economist.
According to him, Russia is rearming fast enough to become a "real threat" to Europe within five years.
"Russia will possess the means once again to pose a military threat to Western countries, and European countries in particular," the French general stated.
He warned that Russia's combat experience, its sheer scale, and endurance make it dangerous: in a conflict, the Russian people will always hold out "five minutes longer" than we do.
At the same time, Burkhard believes that American troops will not leave Europe, although their presence may be reduced. He added that the network of bilateral ties, especially between the United Kingdom, France, and Germany — reflects a clear vision of "what the European pillar of NATO can be."
NATO preparing for potential war with Russia
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, fears of further aggression have grown across Europe, prompting many nations to actively prepare for a possible conflict. This includes rearming their militaries and developing plans to repel a potential attack.
Recently, it was revealed that the German army has drafted a strategic document identifying Russia as an "existential threat" to both Germany and Europe as a whole. Prior to that, Germany's Bundeswehr warned that Russia is preparing for war with NATO and could be ready by the end of this decade, according to a military report obtained by German media.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also stated that Russia may attack a NATO member state within the next five years in order to test the strength of the Alliance.
Additionally, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has suggested that China might pressure Russia to launch an attack on NATO countries to divert the Alliance's attention from the Asia-Pacific region.
He believes that if Beijing decides to invade Taiwan, it is highly likely that it would use Russia to strike Europe as a diversion.
