All across Europe, governments are rushing to increase defense budgets, sign new security pacts, and warn of the growing threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia. According to some European leaders, the continent is presently entering the most dangerous period since World War II.
Not everyone is convinced. In fact, a significant portion of the European population appears to be unimpressed by the current talk of an imminent Russian threat. While relatively few people actually support or condone the Kremlin’s criminal actions in Ukraine, there are plenty of doubters across Europe who question whether Putin’s territorial ambitions extend beyond the limited confines of the former Soviet Empire.
Others are openly dismissive of Moscow’s ability to menace Europe. Skeptics typically point to Putin’s lack of progress in Ukraine as proof that modern Russia is a paper tiger and does not deserve to be taken so seriously. “Russia can’t even beat Ukraine,” they contemptuously declare. This argument may appear persuasive at first glance, but it represents a fundamentally flawed assessment of the security situation that risks fueling complacency at a time when a sense of urgency is required.
While it is true that the Russian army has failed to achieve any of the key objectives set at the start of the invasion, this underwhelming outcome reflects Ukrainian strength rather than Russian weakness. However, the Ukrainians are not superheroes and their ability to withstand the onslaught of a far larger opponent is limited. If Ukraine’s remarkable resistance eventually falters, Europe will find itself face to face with a formidable fighting force that it is utterly unprepared to confront.
