MOSCOW: Amid the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two, the West grapples with Russian military advances. Putin’s warnings about a global war contrast with Western leaders’ attempts to downplay the risk of conflict.
More than two years into the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two, as the West considers what to do about Russian military advances, Putin is increasingly evoking the risk of a global war, while Western leaders play it down.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told The Economist that alliance members should let Ukraine strike deep into Russia with Western weapons, a view supported by some European members of the transatlantic alliance but not the United States.
Russian forces advance into Kharkiv province, knowing Ukraine can’t retaliate against missile launchers inside Russia. Western missiles lack the required range for such strikes.
“If these serious consequences occur in Europe, how will the United States behave, bearing in mind our parity in the field of strategic weapons?” “It’s hard to say — do they want a global conflict?” Putin said Ukrainian strikes with long-range weapons would need Western satellite, intelligence and military help — so the West would have to be directly involved in such attacks.
“This is a factor that they should keep in mind before talking about striking deep into Russian territory. This is a serious thing, and we are of course watching it very closely,” Putin said.
Moreover, Putin Warns West not only about the immediate dangers but also about the long-term implications of inaction.
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