Putin may attack a NATO country — German Defence Minister

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has issued a warning about potential Russian aggression against a NATO member state in the coming years. The German newspaper Tagesspiegel quoted the minister, who stated:

«We must take into account that (Russian President) Putin may one day attack even a NATO country. Our experts expect this to be possible in five to eight years«.

Pistorius emphasized the ongoing threats from the Kremlin, including recent warnings against the Baltic states, underscoring the need for vigilance. Previously, he had proposed the idea of modified compulsory military service, with expectations for proposals from his ministry by April. Pistorius is also open to granting access to the armed forces for soldiers without German citizenship, citing the inclusion of individuals who have been long-term residents in the country.

Acknowledging the inadequacy of current funding for ensuring national security, Pistorius called for reforming the «debt brake» to address the urgency of the situation.

«We will not get through these crises unscathed with the debt brake as it is. We must quickly strengthen our defense capabilities in light of the urgency of the situation», — he added.

As a reminder, in response to former US President Donald Trump’s promise to «quickly end» the war in Ukraine if he returned to the White House, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy questioned what Trump would do if Russian aggression persisted beyond Ukraine.

Additionally, NATO is set to organize large-scale military maneuvers in February, marking the largest exercises since the end of the Cold War. The objective is to deter potential Russian aggression.