Vladimir Putin has increased the harshness of his speech regarding the war in Ukraine. The latest is his threat to fire hypersonic missiles at kyiv’s “decision-making centers.” Tension in Europe continues to rise and an important figure in the United Kingdom, Sir Richard Dearlove, former director of MI6, has stated this. He has not hesitated to affirm that Europe is no longer in a “pre-war situation”, but is in a “real war” with Russia.
“Europe must face reality”
Dearlove points out that Russia considers itself not only at war with Ukraine, but with all of Europe. “We have seen very aggressive movements by the Russians in several European countries,” he says, referring to the sabotage and hybrid war tactics carried out by Moscow.
The former intelligence chief stresses that the situation is more dangerous than many European leaders want to admit. “I don’t think there are any reasons to soften reality“, and warns that both Europe and the United States are in an “extremely dangerous” moment.
This statement comes after the massive attack Russia launched against Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Wednesday night, leaving more than a million people without power. Added to this is the escalation of hybrid hostilities on European soil, which increases the perception that the war already transcends Ukraine’s borders.
A dialogue with Putin or an inevitable escalation?
Asked whether the West should seek rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dearlove defends the importance of keeping lines of communication open. However, he admits that, given the current circumstances, it is unlikely that Moscow will be willing to talk. “We are in an extraordinary historical situation. We have an important and contained war on the continent… things could go wrong very quickly,” he warned.
On the other hand, European leaders have expressed disparate positions. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently reopened dialogue with Putin in an hour-long telephone conversation, where he urged negotiating a “fair” peace deal. However, the Kremlin reiterated that any negotiations must recognize “new territorial realities,” referring to Russian annexations in Ukraine. This gesture by Scholz has been harshly criticized by Volodymyr Zelensky, who described it as a dangerous concession.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had already warned in March about the beginning of a “new pre-war era”, a statement that Dearlove now categorically dismisses. In his opinion, Europe is already immersed in conflict, with Russia’s use of advanced weapons such as hypersonic missiles and an attrition strategy consuming resources and lives at an alarming rate.
As the war enters its third year, the European outlook becomes increasingly bleak. With attacks reaching beyond Ukraine and increasing Russian sabotage activity, Sir Richard Dearlove is clear that Europe can no longer ignore the magnitude of the threat.
With winter approaching, attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure may increase the suffering of the population and put pressure on its European allies. From Spain, Minister Albares has limited himself to reiterating our country’s full support for Ukraine and has recalled that attacking decision-making centers is classified as a war crime.
