Munich: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a stark warning about a possible Russian military escalation, suggesting that NATO countries could be targeted as early as next year.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy pointed to Belarus as a key staging ground for a potential attack.
According to the Ukrainian leader, Russia is assembling around 15 divisions, with an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 troops being trained for military operations in the Belarusian direction. "We are not certain whether they will strike Ukraine, but they will attack—perhaps Ukraine, perhaps Poland, perhaps the Baltic states," Zelenskyy stated.
He also emphasized growing concerns among European leaders about their security in the face of Russian aggression. A key worry is the uncertainty surrounding the level of support they would receive from the United States in the event of an attack. "Europe is increasingly aware that they could be next. Not in the distant future, but soon," he cautioned.
Zelenskyy’s warning aligns with a recent assessment from Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service, which suggested that Russia could initiate a large-scale conflict in Europe within the next five years—particularly if Moscow perceives NATO as weakened or politically divided.
This situation mirrors events leading up to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, when Belarus allowed Russian forces to conduct military exercises on its territory, which later served as a launching point for the attack. On February 24 of that year, Russian troops entered Ukraine from Belarus, advancing toward Kyiv and occupying several northern regions, including Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel, before being pushed back in late March.
Further heightening concerns, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has confirmed that his country is hosting Russian nuclear weapons and preparing facilities for Moscow's latest hypersonic ballistic missile. This development follows a treaty signed between Putin and Lukashenko, granting Belarus security guarantees—including the potential use of nuclear weapons. Moscow has also revised its nuclear doctrine to extend its atomic deterrence over Belarus amid ongoing tensions with the West.
With these alarming developments, European nations are reinforcing their commitment to supporting Ukraine, recognizing that their own security may depend on it.
