Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is preparing to unleash a ‘big war’ on Europe in 2029 or 2030.
Multiple calls for action have been made by high-ranking European defence and intelligence officials, including from the UK, who have said the Kremlin is plotting another land grab on the continent and that Nato members must ready for a ‘war scenario’.
Calling for ‘more pressure on Russia’, the Ukrainian president said: ‘Given the situation on the battlefield, we don’t see Russia wanting to stop.
‘The problem is that when we look at the Russian military industry, we see that they are increasing their production. In our assessment, they want to continue this war.
‘We think that if we push hard, the Russians will need a pause. But we have to recognize that they want a big war, they are preparing to be able to start such a big war in 2029 or 2030 – in this period – on the European continent.’
Nothing that Nato allies have done so far – sanctioning Russia and sending more weapons to Ukraine, or attempts for negotiations – has done the job to stop Vladimir Putin so far, resulting in Zelensky’s push to ‘tackle this big challenge’.
Barely an hour after his statement on Telegram, it was announced that the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, will visit London today to meet with his British counterpart.
This dawning recognition that allies urgently need to step up their defence comes as Russia is pushing further into Ukraine.
The fiercest battles are still in the besieged city of Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region, where close to half of all frontline clashes took place over the previous 24 hours.
Over the past month, the Russian defence ministry has reported capturing nine settlements and villages in Donetsk; eight in the Zaporizhzhia region, seven in the Dnipropetrovsk region and five in the Kharkiv region.
Which countries could Putin invade next?
What the future holds for Ukraine and the rest of Europe is a conundrum a number of experts have attempted to solve.
Earlier this year, Metro projected the timeline for Putin’s Eurussian Empire, with the help of United24, released as a warning on the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion.
Starting from May 2025 – and ending, sort of, in September 2030, it shows key moments in the future that lead to an eventual new ‘special military operation’ on Nato.
According to the projection, Russia captures Moldova, through the puppet government of Transnistria, by deploying North Korean soldiers sent as a favour by Kim Jong-un.
Zelensky has previously warned that Moldova, alongside Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia may be next Putin’s next targets after Ukraine.
Apart from Moldova – which under pro-Western Maya Sandu government is committed to joining the EU – all three are members of the EU and Nato.
Previously, Moldovan MP Radu Marian told Metro that a big ‘if’ has lingered over his country’s head since the start of the war in Ukraine.
‘It was clear for us from the beginning that Russia has interest in taking over Moldova, by any means,’ the politician said.
‘If soldiers had reached and occupied the city of Odesa, our fate would have been sealed. So, this is not something new to us.’
The projection for ends in September 2030, when Putin is supposed to announce a ‘special military operation’ on Nato.
Russian forces are witnessed crossing the borders of Finland and Poland less than a decade after invading Ukraine.
When could Putin invade Europe again?
The timing of a future conflict in Europe is another issue that officials have been trying to predict.
A study by the Harvard Kennedy School, which examines statements by a number European and Nato officials, shows that 2030 is the most frequently forecast year for when Russia would be ready to attack a Nato country.
As for when Russia might intend to attack, the most frequently forecast years are 2027 and 2028.
Whether and when Russia will be combat ready will depend on what kind of war it would want to wage once – or if – the war in Ukraine is over or frozen.
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