The European Union is considering hybrid actions towards Russia. He's preparing a breakthrough
According to Politico, EU member states have taken steps that would have seemed unthinkable not so long ago. In an interview with the portal, the head of Latvian diplomacy, Baiba Braže, pointed out the need for a more active response to the actions of Russia, which is constantly testing the limits of the West's endurance.
Braže cited examples of Russian actions, such as the presence of drones over Poland and Romania, disruptions at airports and acts of sabotage on Polish railway lines.
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110 acts of sabotage
According to the assessment of the Slovak think tank GLOBSEC, in the first half of this year, people linked to Russia carried out over 110 acts of sabotage, most of which took place in Poland and France. The Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, General Michael Claesson, emphasized that Europe cannot afford to be afraid of escalation and must show decisiveness towards Moscow's actions.
The EU and NATO's activities so far have focused mainly on strengthening defense, as Politico reminds us. After shooting down Russian drones over Poland, NATO announced the strengthening of air defense on the eastern flank of the Alliance, which was supported by an appeal from the European Union.
Revision of procedures
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto criticized Europe's lack of decisive response to hybrid attacks and proposed a 125-page retaliation plan, which includes, among other things, creation of the European Center for Combating Hybrid Warfare. In turn, the head of Polish diplomacy, Radosław Sikorski, drew attention to the escalation of Russian actions against EU citizens, calling for a review of security procedures.
However, as Politico notes, despite the harsher rhetoric, the reactions of EU countries remain limited by legal principles. Professor Kevin Limonier from the Parisian think tank GEODE pointed to the ethical dilemma that rule-of-law states face: can they use the same methods as Russia?
The demonstration of strength counts
NATO, as a defensive organization, also remains skeptical about offensive actions. Former Alliance spokeswoman Oana Lungescu emphasized the importance of demonstrations of force, such as quick responses to Moscow's hybrid attacks or the organization of unannounced military exercises on the borders with Russia.
