Fact check: Post Title: A Wider War Has Already Started in Europe Comment Chain: 1. For the past three years, Russia has used missiles and drones to locate and destroy vital infrastructure in Ukraine—power plants, dams, electrical-transmission lines. Everyone understands these attacks are acts of war, no matter how steadfastly Vladimir Putin describes them as part of a “special military operation.” When Russia targets other European neighbors, though, the West resorts to its own euphemisms to avoid directly acknowledging what Putin is doing. Saboteurs have targeted a number of other strategically significant assets in Europe—munitions factories, crucial rail lines—along with civilian infrastructure such as warehouses and malls. Investigators believe that Russia is behind the attacks. European officials would be better off honestly admitting the reality they're confronting. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is only the most conspicuous part of what looks like an ever more globalized war. Acknowledging Russia is engaging in acts of war would not oblige the EU or countries to immediately retaliate with military force. But the term war has a way of concentrating the mind. Using it might make European leaders think much harder about defending themselves when they cannot rely on the U.S. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and arguably since the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, democratic Europe has been predisposed to think about war as an issue for Washington to handle, not as a problem requiring their own leadership. European states might provide some soldiers and equipment but do not have the burden of any serious planning or strategizing. That lax attitude is no longer tenable. Every leader on the continent needs to understand that Putin wishes to upend the entire European order—and that the U.S. is no longer trustworthy as a long-term ally. Although European leaders have largely refused to think about war, the EU’s member nations and other democracies on the continent still have all the prerequisites for military power. EU member nations maintain military forces with some of the most advanced equipment in the world. Although economies of the U.S., China, and many developing countries are growing much faster, the EU, Britain, and other European democracies together have a population of about half a billion people and account for about one-fifth of world GDP. The combination of Putin’s aggression and Trump’s indifference should be an opportunity for Europe to take charge of its own defense. The first vital step in this realization is to acknowledge what’s already happening: Call a war a war. ⏬ Abridged (shortened) article threads ⏬ 7 min with added links 📖 [https://bsky.app/profile/johnhatchard.bsky.social/post/3lfo34ijjq22c](https://bsky.app/profile/johnhatchard.bsky.social/post/3lfo34ijjq22c) 2. "The combination of Putin’s aggression and Trump’s indifference should be an opportunity for Europe to take charge of its own defense." Let's hope so for Europe. For a common defense that's effective means federalization, which I don't see as possible given the vast differences within the EU (I mean look at Hungary and Slovakia recently). But one can hope. 3. I don't think federalization is needed, for common defence we still have NATO. What is needed is EU weapons manufacturing and R&D. So even if US bails out of NATO, we would still be armed enough to deter potential enemies. (and actual enemies, russia) Original Reddit link: https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/1i0u8ki/comment/m72mvgb/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button