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Simón.

Europe closest to war in decades

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the break up of former Yugoslavia."

Stark words of warning from the senior EU diplomat I've just been speaking to off the record about current tensions with Moscow, over its huge military build-up on the border with Ukraine.

The mood in Brussels is jumpy. There's a real fear that Europe could be spiralling towards its worst security crisis in decades.

But angst isn't wholly focused on the prospect of a long, drawn-out ground war with Russia over Ukraine.

Few here believe Moscow has the military might, never mind the money, or popular support back home for that.

True: the EU warns the Kremlin of "extreme consequences" should it take military action in neighbouring Ukraine. Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was in Kyiv and Moscow saying just that on Monday.

Sweden moved hundreds of troops over the weekend to its strategically important Gotland island - which lies in the Baltic Sea. And Denmark strengthened its presence in the region a few days before that. 

The rising tensions have also re-ignited the debate in both Finland and Sweden as to whether they should now join Nato.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told me late last year that the West needed to "wake up from its geopolitical slumber" regarding Moscow's intentions.

On Monday, British defence secretary Ben Wallace announced Britain was supplying Ukraine with short-range anti-tank missiles for self-defence. He said a small team of British troops would also provide training.

Mr Wallace earlier warned Moscow that there would be "consequences" for any Russian aggression towards Ukraine. Britain would "stand up to bullies", he said, no matter how far away the conflict.

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1 hour ago, Atlantis Princess said:

If Ukraine is attacked, my country which is next to it might be in danger as well ari7

 

1 hour ago, Kirjava said:

Same. jj4

Are your countries in the EU? If yes I wouldn’t worry too much. 

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I doubt there will be a fully fledged "war", it'll probably just be continued tension, almost like a Cold War 2. Russia won't directly attack the EU, NATO or the US as they know if it ever did lead to a war they wouldn't have the capabilities. Yes Russia does have lots of military power but much of their technology is outdated and from the Cold War era.  The bigger risk is cyber attacks. Nonetheless it's still a ridiculous situation to be in with no clear benefits for anyone. 

1 hour ago, Darth Sidious said:

This. Putin won’t challenge the EU and NATO directly. With Ukraine and parts of southeastern Europe, both sides at least have a cop-out, 

I agree there likely won't be a full blown war, however they are already constantly threatening EU/Nato members and have been for quite some time. It's gotten to the point where Russian military aircraft are intercepted in/near UK Airspace multiple times a week. If they're willing to threaten the UK it does make you wonder what lengths they'll go to against a less powerful nation.

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2 hours ago, Chris Morlock said:

Joe Biden is now sending 3k troops to Germany Poland and Romania jj3 

Once again, it means almost nothing. It's sort of the same thing that goes on whenever Iran attempts to test fire a missile, or North Korea tests a Nuclear weapon underground. The United States Airforce will move the B-52 fleet within striking distance of Iran, and the United States Navy will dispatch another strike group to Japan, on top of the one that is permanently forward deployed there. It's showing the flag, and reminding the belligerent party that any action will have an opposite and more than equal reaction. 

It used to happen all the time in Europe, the United States has had tens of thousands of troops deployed in Europe since the end of World War II. Things eased when the Soviet Union collapsed, but the US has never withdrawn their military presence from Europe entirely. There are contingencies upon contingencies upon endless fucking contingencies that the Department of Defense has created to handle an armed conflict with Russia. NATO was literally designed to handle an armed, open and full scale conflict with Russia, specifically with Russia. 

And furthermore, I don't care how many hypersonic missiles Putin can build, it doesn't make this creaky gangster state a fifth of what it was during the cold war. 

The Russian Military is no match for the United States, NATO or the EU, not on its best goddamned day, no matter how much Putin tries to polish it. 

If a war breaks out, I guarantee you that it will be a small, regional war and won't go far beyond the Ukraine.   

 

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