According to the head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, Bruno Kahl, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin plans to test NATO's resolve by attempting to expand his confrontation with the West beyond Ukraine.
Points of attention
- German intelligence chief emphasizes that NATO's promise of collective defense will face a significant test of strength in the near future.
- The warning raises questions about the US and NATO's readiness to respond to potential provocations from Russia under Article 5.
What to expect from Putin next?
Bruno Kahl officially confirmed that his team has reliable intelligence at its disposal.
They indicate that the Kremlin views the collective defense obligations enshrined in the NATO treaty as no longer having practical force.
"We are almost certain — and we have intelligence to support it — that Ukraine is just a stage on Russia's path to the West," Kahl emphasized.
According to the latter, this does not mean that Putin will throw his tanks at the Alliance countries.
But we see that NATO's promise of collective defense will be tested for strength, the German intelligence chief warned.
Kahl also added that Putin's team is planning confrontations that fall short of full-scale war but could test whether the US will truly fulfill its mutual assistance obligations under NATO's Article 5.
"They don't need to send tank armies for this. It's enough to send the 'little green men' to Estonia to 'protect' the supposedly oppressed Russian minority," Kahl emphasized.
