On Friday, Denmark’s defense minister issued a cautionary statement, suggesting that Russia might potentially target a NATO member within the next three to five years.
Troels Lund Poulsen conveyed to the Jyllands-Posten newspaper that while there’s no immediate threat to Denmark, he noted Russia’s notable advancements in military equipment production. This observation underscores growing concerns within the international community regarding Russia’s military capabilities and intentions.
According to Poulsen, there’s a possibility that within the next three to five years, Russia may challenge Article 5 and NATO’s unity. This wasn’t the view held by NATO back in 2023. Poulsen emphasized that this is newly surfaced information.
He expressed concern over Russia’s potential willingness to take such action and noted that they may acquire military capability sooner than anticipated. Poulsen’s remarks highlight genuine reasons for apprehension regarding Russia’s intentions and capabilities.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said last month that NATO should be ready for a Russian attack within five to eight years, Reuters reports.
NATO says on its website that “Article 5 provides that if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.”
In January, NATO initiated its largest military exercises in years, involving approximately 90,000 personnel slated to participate in extensive drills. The primary objective, as emphasized by top officers, is to demonstrate the alliance’s capability to defend all of its territory right up to its border with Russia.
Dubbed Steadfast Defender 24, these exercises are intended to showcase NATO’s capacity to execute and sustain intricate multi-domain operations spanning several months and covering vast distances. According to the 31-nation organization, the exercises are designed to encompass diverse geographical regions, ranging from the High North to Central and Eastern Europe, and can be conducted under varying conditions.
Troops will be moving to and through Europe until the end of May in what NATO describes as “a simulated emerging conflict scenario with a near-peer adversary.” Under NATO’s new defense plans, its chief adversaries are Russia and terrorist organizations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original article source: Denmark warns ‘new knowledge’ indicates Russia could attack NATO in 3 to 5 years: report