Putin Puts NATO on Edge

Russian suicide drones flew into Polish air space early this morning during an attack on Ukraine. Poland scrambled jets and shot them down—the first time Russian drones have ever been downed over nato territory—then called on nato to activate Article 4, a united response to a threat against a member. nato obliged.

Besides ramping up tensions, the incident belies Vladimir Putin’s peace posturing and shows that hopes for a negotiated end to the war are false.

• nato Secretary General Mark Rutte denounced Russia’s “reckless behavior” and warned, “My message is clear: Stop the war in Ukraine … stop violating allied air space, and know that we stand ready, that we are vigilant, and that we will defend every inch of nato territory.”

• “Russia’s war is escalating, not ending,” EU foreign-policy chief Kaja Kallas said. She said “indications suggest [the air space violation] was intentional, not accidental.” Several European leaders said Russia is intentionally escalating the war.

• This came just three days after Russia’s largest aerial attack of the war on Ukraine hit a key government building in Kyiv.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned, “We are closer to war than any time since World War ii.” Of course, by “we” he means that all of Europe could get dragged into the war Ukraine has already been fighting for 3½ years.

Why would Putin poke nato like this? His other recent moves have generally fit into two categories: 1) pretend to want peace, and 2) fight like a beast and gain ground on the battlefield. This accomplishes neither.

But Putin may be trying to expose nato’s weakness, or to send a message to Poland to back away from America. (Or maybe Ukraine has anti-drone technology that pitched the drones over into Poland.)

nato’s response does give us a glimpse of a prophecy Gerald Flurry has been drawing attention to for over 20 years: of Europe responding aggressively to provocations from the Russian bear.

Putin has been inciting Europe since his election in 2004. European leaders are already in militarizing mode thanks to the Ukraine war and American isolationism. More indignities from Russia’s unpredictable despot add fuel to this fire.