Key points
- Russia may be preparing for a potential conflict with NATO by creating conditions for aggression against countries that were formerly part of the USSR but are not members of the Alliance.
- ISW notes that Russia is preparing its military and society for a possible conflict with NATO after the war in Ukraine ends, using rhetoric similar to that used before the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia may be preparing for a new armed conflict. It is quite possible that this could be an attack on one of the NATO member countries.
Channel 24 reports, citing a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
How Trump Assesses Putin's Ambitions
US President Donald Trump believes that Vladimir Putin's territorial ambitions extend beyond Ukraine alone. This is evidenced by the assessments of the US military leadership.
Trump noted that Putin wants to get out of the current situation, because it has become “chaos” for him. The American leader also noted that the head of the Kremlin made a mistake by starting a full-scale war against Ukraine.
Do analysts confirm Trump's assumptions?
Analysts confirm that Russia is preparing for a possible future confrontation with NATO. The Kremlin, according to ISW, is creating conditions for potential aggression against countries that were formerly part of the USSR but are not yet members of the Alliance.
ISW has long assessed that Russia is preparing its military and society for a possible future conflict with NATO after the end of the war in Ukraine, in particular by conducting military reforms; integrating veterans into all levels of Russian government; and creating rhetorical conditions to justify future aggression against NATO, the report says.
Analysts also point out that the Kremlin is using the same rhetoric it used ahead of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine to threaten NATO states.
