Ursula von der Leyen calls Putin a predator who is already attacking Europe
Photo: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a predator. He will not stop at Ukraine and is already attacking European countries, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this during a joint press conference with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa.
"The risks your country (Latvia - ed.) and the other Baltic states warned us about, unfortunately, have materialised. Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine is now in its fourth year, Putin is a predator. Putin’s proxies have been targeting our societies for years with hybrid attacks, with cyber-attacks," von der Leyen said.
As an example, she mentioned "turning migrants into a weapon."
"So as we strengthen Ukraine's defense, we must also take greater responsibility for our own defense. And this is the logic of the 800 billion euro defense industrial plan that we have launched together," added the European Commission President.
Earlier reports noted that NATO members plan to spend over $1.5 trillion on defense in 2025. The alliance is expanding its armed forces amid Russia’s war against Ukraine and pressure from the US.
