Luke McGee: Europe still pretends Putin’s threat is unrealistic

Europe continues to downplay the threat posed by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, while dismissing Putin’s warnings about war with NATO as unrealistic, writes international journalist Luke McGee in a Foreign Policy magazine column.

He quotes excerpts from British analyst Keir Giles’ book “Who Will Defend Europe?: An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent.”

For years, European leaders ignored Putin’s actions – whether it was his invasion of Georgia inj 2008 or the annexation of Crimea in 2014. 

“They appeased Putin, despite numerous warnings of his goals to claim more territory and roll back NATO borders,” McGee writes. “The result: Russia’s full-scale land invasion of Ukraine in 2022, making it the frontline in the West’s battle with Moscow.”

Even if NATO countries defeat Russia in a war, it would still be a disaster for Europe – resulting in a loss of lives, resource depletion, and an economic crisis.

“The lack of political will for Europeans to defend themselves is perplexing to those in countries that suffered under Moscow’s boot in living memory,” McGee said, regarding those NATO states that were either Soviet republics or satellite countries of the USSR. .

However, there is still time for EU member states to prevent a future war, says the journalist. 

“Politicians need to find ways to tell the public how desperate the global situation is and why commitments to allies in faraway lands matter to us all,” McGee quotes Giles.

Read the full article via the link.