Moscow: NATO plans "hot phase’ of confrontation with Russia by 2030

NATO plans to move its military confrontation with Russia into a “hot phase” by 2029–2030, according to Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to talks in Vienna on military security and arms control.

Zhdanova made the claim at an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) forum, saying NATO was already deploying new military formations on its eastern flank while upgrading logistical infrastructure and simplifying procedures for the movement of military personnel.

“Europe does not hide the fact that the modernisation of the network of airports, logistics facilities, railway crossings and bridges, and their integration into the network of the so-called military Schengen, are aimed at long-term military confrontation with Russia,” Zhdanova said.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has described Russia as an existential threat to European countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has said Moscow has no grounds for a conflict with Europe, while arguing that European countries are themselves being pushed toward war with Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also said that if Europe were to attack Russia, “it will be a very short war.”

By Tamilla Hasanova