Putin makes ter.ifying warning to European countries

Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning to Europe regarding its vulnerability in the event of a nuclear war. During the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Russian president pointed out that while Russia and the U.S. have early warning systems for missile attacks, Europe does not—leaving it largely defenseless. He warned that if nuclear strikes occurred, European countries would be at greater risk, and cast doubt on whether the U.S. would retaliate on their behalf. Despite these threats, Putin said Russia has no current need to resort to nuclear escalation, citing its superiority in conventional weapons.

The warning comes as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte urged European nations to increase defense spending to meet a target of 5% of GDP, accusing the U.S. of carrying the defense burden for too long. Former British Army Colonel Richard Kemp warned that deeper NATO involvement in Ukraine could provoke Russia into retaliatory missile or cyberattacks against NATO countries. This fear is amplified by a 2022 study suggesting a nuclear conflict between Russia and the West could kill hundreds of millions and trigger mass starvation worldwide. The hope remains that nuclear threats won’t become reality.