Le Monde: Finland stands alone in Europe ready for potential armed conflict

In a recent analysis for Le Monde, commentator Sylvie Kauffmann highlighted that among European nations, only Finland is adequately prepared for a potential armed conflict. Kauffmann noted a shift in the security climate across European capitals and military headquarters. 

“A confrontation between Russia and a NATO country is now more than just a hypothetical scenario. It is plausible. Gradually, the Russian aggression that Europeans have been living with for nearly four years has shifted in scale. Ukraine is no longer the only target. The conflict has spread to Europe. Hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks, incursions, drones, sabotage and disinformation, has escalated dramatically. Vladimir Putin's imperial ambitions are now beyond question,” she wrote, reflecting growing concerns over regional tensions.

The analysis questioned the readiness of European countries to respond to such a conflict. 

“Are we ready? Across Europe, except for Finland, the answer remains no. The wake-up call has been sounded, but logistics struggle to keep up. Even after three and a half years of war raging in Ukraine, European forums still feature German, Dutch, or French defenCe or foreign ministers candidly explaining that capacities needed to be increased, that Ukraine should be helped more, that new funding solutions must be found, or, worse, lamenting the lack of facilities to accommodate volunteers who, to general surprise, have come forward to join the reserves,” she underlined.

By Vafa Guliyeva