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Shkruar nga Richard Holmes
A senior alliance official admits with concern that, despite the urgency dictated by the situation over the past four years, the West is still in the dangerous situation of a "slowly boiling frog." So, despite Putin openly stating that he aims to destroy the alliance, we are getting used to the high level of violence from Moscow, without realizing that the situation is heading towards the boiling point...
NATO is preparing for a long and hostile confrontation that is expected to last for generations, fueled by a Russian “state intent” to expand military dominance over European countries in the near future. The warning comes from James Appathurai, the senior Alliance official who currently leads critical missions to develop defensive technologies against hybrid warfare.
Appaturai warns that Russian aggression in what he calls the "pre-war" phase is increasing at an alarming rate. "The number of assassinations and assassination attempts has increased significantly. Acts of sabotage are damaging our critical infrastructure, from underwater pipelines to communication cables. We are in the dangerous situation of a 'slowly boiling frog'. We are getting used to this level of violence without realizing that the situation is reaching a boiling point," he emphasizes.
His message to Britain and the continent is clear: we face a Russia that has shifted to a war economy and is determined to expand. "The only way to deter a Russian attack is through force. We must become so strong that Moscow will not even think of aggression. That is the essence of our defence."
Asked whether a peace deal in Ukraine would ease tensions, he recalled a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in 2009. Appaturai recalls that, while sitting on one side of the famous long table in the Kremlin, the Russian president opened the conversation by telling him and then-Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen: “I want NATO to disappear!”
Trying to remain calm, Rasmussen replied: “I’m sorry to hear that, because I intend to make NATO even stronger!” Reflecting on this meeting, Appathurai emphasizes that Putin was not careful with his words then and he is not today: his objectives remain just as brutal and clear.
A conflict that spans decades
The comments follow a series of shocking statements from British intelligence chiefs about the prospect of a general war between Russia and Europe. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently warned that “conflict is on our doorstep,” urging European leaders to prepare for a scale of war not seen since the time of our grandparents.
This alarm was also reinforced by the new head of Britain's MI6, Blaise Metreveli, declaring that "the front line is now everywhere." According to Europol's latest reports for 2025, cyberattacks and clandestine operations to destabilize Europe, launched by Russia and its satellites, have experienced a dramatic increase.
The Ministry of Defence in London itself claims that hostile Russian intelligence activity against its departments has increased by over 50 percent in just one year. Appaturai, who heads the DIANA innovation unit, says we are in a life-or-death technological race. Russia is updating its military technologies in very rapid cycles, forcing the Alliance to abandon old bureaucracy and act at breakneck speed.
The new challenge: Europe must move forward on its own two feet
Donald Trump's return to the White House has brought unprecedented uncertainty about American commitments to NATO. Donald Trump has repeatedly labeled European allies as "irresponsible beneficiaries" who spend little on defense.
On this point, Appathurai agrees: “Trump is right. Europe is rich enough to finance its own security. Washington can no longer foot the vast majority of our bill. We must make this transition quickly and without hesitation.” This pressure has led NATO members to commit to spending up to 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.
Peace in Ukraine does not mean the end of the threat
As various peace plans for Ukraine are being discussed, Appathurai issues another stark warning: the end of fighting on the frontline does not mean the end of Moscow's aggression. "Once there is finally a ceasefire, there will be voices saying that now we can calm down and direct the money elsewhere. But this is a very dangerous narrative that we must counter," he stresses.
A Russia that no longer spends all its energy on the Ukrainian front will be freer to step up hybrid attacks and sabotage against European countries. His final message is a wake-up call: “When you become certain that you must flee, it is already too late to run away. We must not find ourselves in that position.”/ Adapted Pamphlet from “The Intelligent Paper”
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