02-06-2025
NATO countries warn Russia is developing its army for potential attack
NATO exercise simulates invasion from Russia in frontline states
As Ukrainian forces deal a shock blow to Russia with a widespread drone attack on several Russian airbases, Nato allies are testing the alliance's strength and readiness for war.
Exercise Griffin Lightning has deployed 26,000 multinational troops across frontline NATO states including Poland and the Baltics has been testing NATO capabilities and readiness for a potential invasion by Russia within the coming months or years.
In Estonia alone, almost 18,000 national troops lead operation Hedgehog along with twelve other nations and as part of the overall Griffin Lightning structure.
"When you hear the sound of the NATO jets around here, it may be loud but to us we say it's the sound of freedom," Lieutenant Colonel Koosa, Estonian Defence Forces told Euronews.
"When I went to school, we heard the sound of Soviet aircrafts, there was pictures of Lenin, we were paying with Rubles, with nothing to buy from stores," he recalled.
"Now we're in NATO we can make sure nothing like that ever returns," he said.
The exercise is taking place amid a much more uncertain geopolitical context, with Germany's Defence chief saying NATO needs to prepare for potential war with Russia within the next few years.
General Carsten Breuer has said NATO is facing "a very serious threat" from Russia, as the Kremlin builds up its stock of tanks and "new military structures".
Soldiers test themselves and the alliance for integration and interoperability including fast, efficient decision-making in the event of an attack.
Operating in forests, woodlands and commandeering former Soviet missile bases as command posts soldiers simulate the numerous circumstances likely to materialise in the event of war with Russia.
Armies are split into two sides with each undertaking the role of the attacker or defender.
'We've got a few trenches out there where we'll live and fight out of so if an enemy attacks or comes towards us that's where our main defensive area will be,' Kingsman Lewis Jackson, a young UK soldier told Euronews.
His compatriot, Second Lieutenant David Brereton being in Estonia, close to Russia, is important, but that the logistics for his and the other battlegroups is vital for readiness for in real world scenario.
'We're in an MDA – main defensive area – basically we're tasked with defending the ground you can see behind us, basically stopping any movement north of that ground and repelling any attacks,' he says of his setup.
In Lithuania, the largest foreign deployment of Germany's aviation brigade since the Cold War is participating in Griffin Lightning.
And while drones are emerging as the most dominant weapon technology of the Ukraine war, tanks and even paratroopers have a renewed relevance in Ukraine.
German Leopard 2 tanks were delivered to Ukraine in March 2023 after pressure from NATO countries. The tanks are deemed superior for their firepower and heavy armour.
In this exercise Leopard 2 and Puma tanks feature alongside Lithuania's infantry fighting vehicles display interoperability on the battlefield in a simulated counter-offensive.
Despite political concerns about long-term US commitment to Nato, and European Security overall, US paratroopers participated under US -led exercise Swift Response alongside Griffin Lightning.
Captain Zachary Donner said US forces are integrating Ukrainian experiences on the battlefield.
"We've been keeping a pulse on the conflict and we've been using it to basically integrate our training, our comms and we've been taking lessons learnt from over in the Ukraine to basically develop what's going there to see what we can combat against," he said.
He said US NATO troops in Europe – of which there are currently under 100,000 can be ready in a 'moments notice'.
"The capability to rapid move into the locations are always here. The 173rd is postured in Italy and ready to go in a moment's notice. The 82nd in arrear is also always on guard and on watch and ready to deploy within 24 hours," he told Euronews.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said the exercises are more necessary than ever given the failure by US-led delegations to make any progress on peace talks between the US and Ukraine.
She also claimed Russia is moving fast with armed forces reform.
"They [Russia] have really transformed their economy to a war time economy. They are as moving very fast with their armed forces reform - to have 1.5 million soldiers by end of year," she told Euronews in Lithuania.
The EU is under growing pressure to tax vapes and nicotine pouches, with 15 finance and economy ministers writing last week to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about the issue.
The letter was part of a wider push for the Commission to publish the long-awaited Tobacco Taxation Directive (TTD). Citing health concerns, the ministers said the existing legislative framework is outdated.
Since the rules were last updated in 2011, new nicotine products have flooded the market.
A revision to include new tobacco and nicotine products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco was introduced as part of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan in 2022.
However, the proposal has still not been published, much to the concern of health experts.
"We see that because these products are not taxed properly in the EU — some countries are not taxing them or barely imposing taxes — they became very accessible and not just to adults, but to children. And that's the reason why revision of the directive is urgent now," said Lilia Olefir, Director of the Smoke Free Partnership.
The latest European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), published at the end of May, reports a rise in overall daily rates of smoking and vaping among 15-year-olds and 16-year-olds from 7.9% in 2019 to 14% in 2024.
Studies have found children and adolescents' exposure to nicotine in vaping solutions can lead to long-term negative impacts on brain development, as well as addiction.
Momentum for action is growing. In March 2025, a letter from 12 health ministers urged the Commission to re-visit all tobacco-related legislation, including taxation.
Last week, 15 finance and economy ministers wrote to von der Leyen, calling on the EU Commission president to "take the necessary steps to update the directive".
In response, Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, who is responsible for taxation, expressed hope that the rules would soon be changed.
The new directive would substantially raise taxes on cigarettes, roll your own cigarettes and cigars.
It would also for the first time introduce minimum excise tax on new products including heated tobacco, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
"These taxes are fundamental because they result in higher prices, which means that the products are less affordable and less accessible," said Olefir. "Right now, people can buy disposable vape for around eight euros, and nicotine pouches are also quite accessible."
Some EU countries have in the meantime taken their own measures to target these products. Belgium, for example, became the first in Europe to ban the sale of disposable vapes in 2025.
The country's Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke described cheap vapes as a health threat, which can draw teenagers into smoking and get them hooked on nicotine.
Hoekstra told MEPs that he hoped the new tax proposal would be adopted by the summer.
However, the proposal requires unanimity, which seems a long way off.
The plan has large support in wealthier countries, where excise taxes on tobacco and nicotine products are already relatively high. Because of differences in these rates, they are suffering from rising smuggling and cross-border trade.
Meanwhile, countries like Italy, Greece and Romania, which have lower tax levels, are against any changes to the current rules. They have also made significant investments in the tobacco sector.
Organisations representing industries that would be affected by the revised directive have also criticised the current proposal.
Dustin Dahlmann, the chair of the Independent European Vape Alliance, claimed that introducing taxes would not help protect young people. Instead, he argued that fines should be increased for people selling to minors.
"The tax will make the products more attractive for black market dealers and these kinds of people and businesses don't care about protecting the minors," he said.
"In the member states where high taxes are in place, it's fuelling the black market. Minors are not better protected here than in other countries," he added.
