Putin Draws a Line in the Sand: Issues Stark Warning to Europe, Calls NATO Attack Fears "Nonsense"

 

Right after you could say international tensions were unable to find their higher level, Russian President Vladimir Putin has brought the issue to the higher ground. At the Valdai Discussion Group forum, act was quite provocative: firstly, promise of rapid and "significant" response to Europe's military buildup, and on the other hand, a request to stop fearing a Russian attack on NATO, as he labeled it "hysteria."

Mildly speaking, this is a typical case of performing loud actions and at the same time having an eye contact with the audience and literally saying, "Nothing to worry about." So, what's really going on?

"A Very Convincing" Response is on the Table

Firstly, let's delve into the warning. Putin was very direct in his accusation of Europe of "escalating militarisation." He was also very specific in his targeting of the likes of the Germany which has been gradually increasing its military capability since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine.

"It is...[sic] we are witnessing," Putin explicitly pointed out that Russia is fully aware of what is going on. He cautioned that Moscow would not be a mere spectator. "The time will not be long for Russia to take the road to countermeasures," he assured, adding that the reaction would be "very convincing."

What exactly does this "militarisation" entail from Moscow's view point?

• Skyrocketing Defense Budgets: European nations are divesting their military budgets by billions of dollars every year.
• Advanced Weapons for Ukraine: The idea to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles is seen as the biggest escalation in the arms debate.
• Additional Troops on Site: NATO is still strengthening its eastern border, which is very close to Russia.

In the eyes of the Kremlin, these are not only protective actions, but they are considered as challenges being made to them.

"Complete Nonsense": Putin Dismisses Attack Hysteria

Even though in the same breath, Putin entirely rejected the fear that the West was creating that Russia was going to attack a NATO country. He referred the idea to being "complete nonsense" and one of "hysteria" that was created by the Western elites for their own benefit.

"They keep saying this ridiculous thing that a war with Russia is close, and they have done this many times before, so it is a very tired chant," he said in response to the question of who was behind the hysteria. He recommend to the Europeans leaders: "Keep calm, take it easy, and concentrate on your own problems."

Putin links the issue of fear to a very different aspect. In his opinion, Western governments are only using this tool to justify exorbitant military spending and at the same time, divert from domestic issues like inflation or societal unrest. But the question on everyone's mind is, can Europe really "rest easy" when faced with such strong rhetoric?

How is Europe Reacting?

As you can imagine, European leaders are not exactly going to take in a positive way Putin's advice to "calm down."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was very quick to respond stating that a tougher, more cohesive reaction to Russia's hostility is what is really needed. While that was happening, French President Emmanuel Macron was already making plans on how to counter Russia in actions like by putting restrictions on the "shadow fleet" of oil tankers that are supposedly Moscow's secret way of transporting oil.

Though the official reactions from the great powers like Germany and the UK have been calmer, the unspoken message being sent is that Europe is not wavering. They consider it better to fortify their defense possibilities as a matter of prudent precaution rather than being antagonistic towards Russia in a rapidly volatile world.

The situation represents a high-stakes game of chess, but this time the moves are made with words and the words are weapons. While Putin goes on to say that the fright of escalation to a broader conflict is "nonsense," his very serious warnings to Europe are forcing the continent not to bury its head in the sand. At the moment, the globe is observing whether deeds will come after these eloquent speeches.