logo
Eastern European politicians discussing preemptive attack on Russia

Eastern European politicians discussing preemptive attack on Russia

Russia Today08-03-2025

Several countries in Eastern Europe are considering a pre-emptive strike against Russia, according to Financial Times columnist Simon Kuper. The reported development comes despite the Ukraine peace negotiations launched by Moscow and Washington.
According to Kuper, the perceived pivot toward Moscow by US President Donald Trump has brought back the geographical distinctions of the Cold War, namely the idea of 'Eastern Europe', and 'Western Europe,' where one sees Russia as an existential threat and the other 'isn't that bothered.'
'We know. That's why some of our countries are asking, 'Why don't we attack Russia now, instead of sitting waiting for it to attack us?'' an unnamed 'prominent Eastern European politician' said, without elaborating.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Poland and the Baltic States have claimed that if allowed to win, Russia might attack them next. Moscow has consistently denied the claims, with President Vladimir Putin even describing them as 'nonsense.'
Countries in Eastern Europe were historically often part of larger empires – Russian, German, or Austro-Hungarian – and frequently lost their sovereignty. Czech writer Milan Kundera described this vulnerability as 'a small nation can disappear, and it knows it.'
These nations have recently displayed the strongest anti-Russian sentiment and are among the most vocal in calling for bolstered defenses. EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas, a former prime minister of Estonia, is known for her hawkish views on Russia.
The report comes as Russia and the US reestablished contacts last month and held high-level talks in Saudi Arabia. Brussels, however, is insisting on continued military support of Kiev.
In response to Trump's reported halt of American military aid to Ukraine, aimed at forcing Kiev to negotiate, EU leaders, led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, agreed on a €800 billion plan to 'rearm Europe' and maintain support for Kiev.
Moscow has pledged to take measures to safeguard its security amid the 'militarization' and 'confrontational rhetoric' coming out of the EU. It has also long warned against Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing that they only prolong the conflict without altering the outcome, while increasing the risk of a direct clash with NATO.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hungarians won't die for Ukraine
Hungarians won't die for Ukraine

Russia Today

time10 hours ago

  • Russia Today

Hungarians won't die for Ukraine

The people of Hungary have no interest in dying for Kiev despite EU officials wanting to continue the Ukraine conflict, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said. Budapest has long-opposed Brussels' policy of arming Ukraine in order to prolong the conflict with Russia, despite strong opposition to the policy within the EU. 'I come from a country that borders Ukraine. War-hungry politicians want us to believe that we must continue the war. But I warn you, this war is unwinnable,' Orban said in a speech at a rally of EU conservatives in France on Monday. Peace must be negotiated, he stressed, stating that 'diplomats must retake control from the generals.' We do not want to die for Ukraine. We don't want our sons to come back in a coffin. We don't want an Afghanistan next door. Addressing decisions in Brussels and Berlin to divert billions into militarization, Orban said 'We do not want Brussels to implement a war economy under the pretext of the conflict.' Hungary does not want the bloc to take out 'giga loans' or turn to the 'federalization of the member states' money,' he added. In March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen floated a proposal to marshal €800 billion ($914 billion) in debt and tax incentives to re-arm the EU in the face of what she described as a 'Russian threat.' Last month, the European Council formally gave the green light to a €150 billion ($171 billion) borrowing mechanism to fund the bloc's militarization plan. Russia has repeatedly brushed off claims that it plans to attack EU countries as 'nonsense,' and criticized the bloc's militarization efforts. Moscow has also accused Brussels of prolonging the Ukraine conflict by continuing to supply arms to Kiev.

Western Europe blocks peace in Ukraine
Western Europe blocks peace in Ukraine

Russia Today

timea day ago

  • Russia Today

Western Europe blocks peace in Ukraine

NATO-aligned European countries are obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said. Several EU member states are deliberately undermining negotiations and prolonging the conflict, he told TASS in an interview published this week. In May, under pressure from US President Donald Trump, Kiev agreed to direct talks with Russia, a step Moscow called logical and overdue. It marked the first such negotiations in three years and involved senior officials. Both sides pledged to stay in contact, completed a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap, and exchanged ceasefire proposals. EU and NATO leaders, however, were 'relentlessly encouraging Kiev to continue hostilities,' Ryabkov said, citing a steady flow of weapons, military equipment, and pledges of continued support. He added that acts of sabotage and provocation were being planned and carried out, along with disinformation efforts aimed at disrupting the negotiation process. Last week, Kiev launched a coordinated drone strike on multiple Russian air bases and blew up railway bridges, causing the derailment of both civilian and freight trains. At least seven people were killed and more than 120 injured, including children. Russian authorities labeled the strikes 'terrorism' and accused Ukraine of trying to derail US-backed peace efforts. Some military analysts suggested that such attacks would not have been possible without Western intelligence support. Ryabkov also accused certain EU leaders of meddling in US domestic politics by pressuring Trump to adopt former President Joe Biden's more aggressive pro-Ukraine stance. As an example, Ryabkov cited German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who met with Trump in Washington earlier this week. Merz urged the US to intensify its involvement and increase pressure on Russia. He had earlier lifted restrictions on German-supplied weapons to Ukraine, a move Ryabkov said contradicted efforts toward a political settlement. Ryabkov's remarks were echoed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who accused Brussels of fully aligning with Kiev's military aims and called the EU a 'war party.' 'The main signals from Brussels and European capitals now relate to... plans for the militarization of Europe, which is clearly at odds with the mood of the presidents of Russia and the United States,' Peskov added. According to Germany's Kiel Institute, the EU has provided nearly €50 billion in support to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale conflict in 2022, in addition to significant bilateral aid from member states.

Polish president-elect opposes Ukrainian EU membership
Polish president-elect opposes Ukrainian EU membership

Russia Today

time2 days ago

  • Russia Today

Polish president-elect opposes Ukrainian EU membership

Poland's newly elected president, Karol Nawrocki, has stressed that Warsaw's continued support for Kiev in its conflict with Russia does not override Polish national interests, and is contingent on reaching 'compromise and consensus' over historical and economic disputes. In an interview with Hungarian magazine Mandiner published on Saturday, Nawrocki raised long-standing issues such as the exhumation of Poles killed by Ukrainian Nazi collaborators during the 1940s Volyn massacres, as well as trade practices that he says harm Polish farmers and truckers. 'At the moment, I am opposed to Ukraine's accession into the European Union,' Nawrocki said. 'I look at Ukraine as a country that, although it defends itself very boldly against Russia, must also respect the interests of other countries who, by the way, support Ukraine.' 'Poland has an interest in exhuming the Volyn victims, for example,' he said. "During the campaign, I did not agree, nor will I, as president, agree to unfair competition against Poland's agriculture or logistics sector with Ukraine.' Despite Warsaw being one of Kiev's key backers in its conflict with Moscow, it has consistently tied support for Ukraine's EU and NATO aspirations the recognition of the 'genocide' committed by Ukrainian nationalists. Militants with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) slaughtered up to 100,000 Poles between 1943 and 1945 in the regions of Volhynia and Eastern Galicia, which currently belong to Ukraine. Modern Ukraine celebrates the perpetrators as 'freedom fighters' and 'national heroes.' The OUN was led by Stepan Bandera, a notorious Nazi collaborator who is widely revered in modern also protested a tariff-free EU trade scheme with Ukraine introduced in 2022. While Brussels promoted it as a vital economic lifeline for Kiev, it drew backlash from disadvantaged domestic producers across the bloc. The framework expired this week after proposed extensions and alternatives failed to secure enough support. Nawrocki, a conservative historian – currently on Russia's national wanted list for his role in the dismantling of hundreds of Soviet-era memorials – narrowly defeated liberal Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski in the June 1 presidential runoff with 50.89% of the vote. His campaign emphasized Catholic values, national sovereignty and a rebalanced relationship with the EU. Nawrocki is set to take office on August 6. While the Polish presidency is largely ceremonial, it holds veto power and influence over foreign policy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store