European officials are raising the alarm over Russia’s expansionist agenda and hybrid warfare tactics.
“The new frontline is everywhere,” the UK’s MI6 chief said in her first speech atop the agency, warning that Russia poses an “acute threat” to the West. The EU on Monday tightened sanctions against Russian ally Belarus, following incursions by weather balloons into Lithuanian airspace, which officials believe are part of Moscow’s intensifying covert sabotage campaign to sow instability. European leaders are further grappling with how to respond to Washington’s disdain toward the continent amid precarious Ukraine peace talks.
The US’ disengagement “could give Russia a window of opportunity to escalate before Europe is ready to resist,” Lithuania’s former foreign minister wrote.