Russia is escalating sabotage campaigns across NATO countries to break European support for Ukraine. Officials acknowledge traditional deterrence works against major invasion but fear accidental escalation from hybrid attacks. The campaign aims to undermine trust in democratic institutions and fracture transatlantic unity.
European leaders debate retaliation strategies while avoiding Russian traps. Recent incidents include drone attacks in Germany and infrastructure sabotage across the alliance. Germany now directly blames Moscow for a faulty drone at Leipzig-Halle airport, marking a shift in transparency.
Experts say Putin seeks to show that support for Ukraine carries cost while weakening Western resolve. Europe pursues three deterrence levels: naming Russia, hardening societal defenses, and imposing consequences. However, crafting unified response policies proves difficult as nations traditionally reserve such decisions individually.
The situation requires careful calibration between firm action and avoiding overreaction that could trigger wider conflict.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing