Brussels, 19 May (LaPresse) – "Russia is preparing for a long-term confrontation with the West. Whether or not Putin dares to test European defences actually depends on us. Deterrence only works when it is credible. Showing weakness only encourages aggression. Moscow spends around 8% of its GDP on military expenditure. It has switched to a war economy. In practice, tanks, missiles and artillery are all that Russia is producing at the moment. European intelligence services and military officials are well aware that Russia’s ultimate target is not just Ukraine but Europe.” This was stated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. “Many of our national intelligence agencies believe that Russia could test the EU’s defensive readiness within the next 3–5 years. We are already seeing an increase in airspace violations, cyberattacks, sabotage against critical infrastructure and widespread disinformation campaigns. It is clear that Russia will remain a long-term threat and is not acting alone. Countries such as Iran and North Korea are actively undermining European security," she added.
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