Putin attack on NATO ‘possible’ in 5-8 years: German defense chief

FILIP TIMOTIJA

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Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could attack the NATO military alliance in five to eight years.

During an interview with the German outlet Der Tagesspiegel, Pistorius said “our experts expect a period of five to eight years in which this [attack] could be possible.”

“We hear threats from the Kremlin almost every day … so we have to take into account that Vladimir Putin might even attack a NATO country one day,” Pistorius said.

The Kremlin has bolstered threats against neighboring nations since launching its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, especially as Sweden and Finland have moved to join the NATO alliance. Russiam leaders have also issued dire warnings toward Poland.

Swedish officials have been warning their citizens that “war could come” to the country. Sweden is still waiting for approval from Hungary and Turkey before it can join the military alliance, while Finland has already joined.

Pistorius said Swedish warnings were “understandable from a Scandinavian perspective,” considering its proximity to Russia.

This week, chairs of foreign affairs committees from various countries in Europe met with U.S. lawmakers to plea for the passage of the supplemental package that contains $60 billion in Ukraine funding. The funding request is stuck in Congress after being tied to negotiations over the U.S. border policy.

During the meetings, officials defended Europe’s funding of the Ukraine military, but they also emphasized the U.S.’s role as the leader on the global stage and its irreplaceable military support.