Kallas said that Russia has a long-term plan of aggression against Europe
Russia poses a direct threat to the European Union through acts of sabotage and cyberattacks, and its huge military spending suggests dictator Vladimir Putin plans to use his military forces elsewhere in the future, EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas said, according to the Associated Press.
Callas spoke to members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
"Russia is already a direct threat to the European Union," she said.
Kallas listed a number of violations of the airspace of EU countries by Russia, provocative military exercises near its borders, and attacks on energy networks, pipelines, and undersea cables.
The head of European diplomacy noted that Russia spends more on defense than the 27 EU countries combined, and this year it is investing more on defense than "its own healthcare, education, and social policy combined."
"This is a long-term plan for long-term aggression. You don't spend that much on military needs if you don't plan to use them," Kallas warned.
- On May 26, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Oleg Ivashchenko, stated that after the end of the war against Ukraine , Russia will be ready for aggression against Europe in two to four years.
- The NYT reported that Russia is strengthening its military infrastructure near the border with Finland. NATO believes that Moscow could attack the country in five years.
