August M
European officials are raising fresh alarms about Russia’s long-term intentions as fighting in Ukraine continues. Warnings from Brussels suggest the conflict is being viewed not as a contained war, but as part of a wider security threat to Europe.
At the centre of those concerns is the belief that Moscow’s ambitions do not stop with eastern Ukraine.
Beyond Donbas
According to the Express, Kaja Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission, said seizing part of Ukraine would not satisfy Russian President Vladimir Putin.
She warned that allowing Moscow to consolidate control would open the door to further aggression.
“We have to understand that Donbas is not Putin’s endgame,” Ms Kallas said. “If he gets Donbas, then the fortress is down, and then they definitely move on with taking the whole of Ukraine.”
She added that the consequences would extend beyond Ukraine itself. “If Ukraine goes, the other regions are also in danger. We know this from the history and we should learn from history.”
Why NATO matters
Ms Kallas linked Russia’s actions to the reasons many countries seek NATO membership. “What we have to keep in mind is, why countries want to be in NATO,” she said. “It is because they don’t want Russia to invade them, to attack them.”
She cited Sweden, Finland and the Baltic states as examples of nations seeking what she described as a “defence umbrella”. Their decisions, she said, reflected long-standing fears of Russian expansionism.
Looking ahead, Ms Kallas argued that Ukraine needs concrete protection if NATO membership is not immediately possible. “They can’t be papers or promises,” she said. “They have to be real troops, real capabilities so that Ukraine is able to defend itself.”
Regional fault lines
Ukraine borders several EU and NATO countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, while Belarus to the north has acted as a close ally of Moscow. Russian troops were staged there during the early phase of the invasion, underlining its strategic role.
Russia itself shares borders with NATO members Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Norway. To the south, it borders Georgia and Azerbaijan, regions that have also experienced tension with Moscow.
The Institute for the Study of War has warned that Russia is actively preparing for a wider confrontation with NATO, according to the Express.
Preparing for conflict
Speaking at the Defending the Baltics 2025 conference, George Barros of the Institute for the Study of War said Russia’s preparations were ongoing. “You might not choose to have a war with the Russians, but the Russians are certainly choosing to prepare to conduct a war against you,” he said, according to Defense News.
“We’re watching every day how they’re preparing their economy, operational concepts and their military thinking about the next war,” he added.
Sources: Express, Defense News, Institute for the Study of War
