Finnish President Alexander Stubb warned other NATO leaders about the need to prepare their armies for a potential conflict with Russia.
What Stubb said in his address to NATO
According to Finnish President Stubb, recent public warnings about Russian aggression outside of Ukraine are distracting European countries from what they should be focusing on immediate aid to Kyiv and training of its armed forces — although he does not believe that Moscow will attack NATO countries until 2030.
I'm a little worried about this rather belligerent talk that Russia is going to test the strength of Article 5 and that Europe is next in line. Let's prepare for this, but I think it is unlikely.
Alexander Stubb
President of Finland
He called on all European states to "become more Finnish".
In other words, more prepared. "You have to prepare for the worst to avoid it," Stubb added.
The Finnish president stressed that Kyiv's support in the coming months is of paramount importance as Russian dictator Vladimir Putin "feels very confident" and has targeted a "window of opportunity" to breach Ukraine's defences before September.
Is NATO preparing for possible escalations?
As Business Insider found out, NATO headquarters are concerned about the growth of Russia's military power but still hope that a large-scale war between the Russian Federation and the Alliance can be avoided.
For example, the US special services do not currently see the danger of a Russian attack on NATO and believe that the Russian armed forces will need another five to eight years to restore the military power they had before the invasion of Ukraine.
Despite this, risk assessments differ because many top NATO officials believe that it will be difficult to avoid the Russian Federation's invasion of the Alliance's territory.
Earlier, the head of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said that the alliance needs transformation and the West must prepare for an era in which anything can happen at any time, including the start of war.
His remarks were made against the backdrop of the delay or limitation of military aid to Ukraine from the United States and the European Union.
On January 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi warned that the West's wavering support for Kyiv and fears of an escalation of the war with Russia could prolong hostilities for years.
