There is 100% chance that Putin will try to attack one of European countries - Le Figaro
The European military emphasises that the goals of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin are not limited to Ukraine.
According to Censor.NET, Le Figaro writes about this with reference to an unnamed high-ranking French officer.
"There is a 100% chance that Putin will try to test a European country where he feels weak. We need to ask ourselves what we should have done before 2022 to prevent Putin from invading Ukraine," he said.
In his opinion, we need to "prepare for the worst" to be ready to repel the enemy.
Europeans believe that a full-scale war seems unlikely. At the same time, they do not rule out the possibility that Russia could make a limited invasion of the territory of a European state or resort to a "hybrid" or "subthreshold" war.
The elections in Romania are cited as an example of such a war. It is noted that Russian special services tried to bring a pro-Russian president to power, but the results of the vote were cancelled.
According to intelligence estimates from various countries, the estimated timeframe for a possible Russian invasion is four to five years.
"If we listen to the leaders of the Baltic states, it could happen much faster," said an anonymous French military officer.
At the same time, any compromise on Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine is seen in Europe as a temporary measure.
"Any compromise (in Ukraine) will be temporary, and the ceasefire will be a pause (for Russia) to regain its strength," said the head of an unnamed European intelligence service.
It is noted that Putin adheres to bellicose rhetoric and identifies the West as an enemy. His goal is to regain a foothold in what he considers "Russia's sphere of influence": at least in Ukraine, Moldova, the Caucasus, and the Baltic states.
