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Ideas range from joint offensive cyber operations against Russia, and faster and more coordinated attribution of hybrid attacks by quickly pointing the finger at Moscow, to surprise NATO-led military exercises, according to two senior European government officials and three EU diplomats
“The Russians are constantly testing the limits — what is the response, how far can we go?” Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže noted in an interview. A more “proactive response is needed,” she told POLITICO. “And it’s not talking that sends a signal — it’s doing.”
Finally.
Russian military doctrine is not based on quality.
The problem for Western Europe now is that they are invested in small expeditionary styled formations and high-cost components. Eastern and Northern Europe (and Nords) are the only nations planning for defensive actions, and the only ones with enough Democratic cohesion to operate.
Russia would engage in hybrid depletionary tactics follwed by grinding efforts of force, like the Ukraine situation. Europe can only win in against this strategy if they are willing to operationally decapitate (Iraq war style), but are politically set up for defensive lines at most. Trying to decapitate Russia will most likelyy lead to WW3, so it is a non-starter.
Ironically, the Balts might actually survive the next decade, due to their strategic value for the Nords and Poland.
If Europe really wanted to participate in their own security, they would he dumping weapons and money into Ukraine.
Russia has already ground through much of its resources in Ukraine and it’s not making meaningful advances. It doesn’t have the resources to attack other nations on top of that.
And European countries could easily cripple the Russian war machine with precision strikes, hit major resource production centers, infrastructure, etc.
But more to the point, once it’s Russia vs. Europe, Russian support for Putin’s war (because it is his war) will evaporate near-instantly, and he will be killed. Europe doesn’t have to decapitate Russia; the Russians will do that.