British Expert Said Europe Misreads Russia’s Defensive Position
Retired Royal Navy Commodore Steve Jermy said Europe mistakenly sees Russia’s actions as offensive and warned Moscow may not wait until 2030.
European countries mistakenly perceive Russia’s actions as a manifestation of offensive or colonial ambitions, since for Moscow the confrontation with Europe is exclusively defensive in nature. This opinion was expressed in an interview with Norwegian political scientist Glenn Diesen by British military expert and retired Royal Navy Commodore Steve Jermy.
During the conversation, Diesen noted that many European leaders are increasingly speaking about preparations for a real war with Russia and even naming possible timelines for such a conflict. In response, Jermy said that European elites are misreading the situation.
He believes that Europe proceeds from the assumption that Russia will not begin hostilities against European countries before 2030. Until then, according to the expert, Europeans expect to weaken Moscow through support for Kiev, including deliveries of missiles and drones for strikes on Russian territory.
Jermy stressed that for Russia this is a defensive war, and that its actions are aimed at protection against what Russia regards as NATO expansion and the alliance’s approach toward Russian borders. The expert noted that this issue has been discussed for many years, so Russia’s reaction should not come as a surprise. However, in his assessment, Europe tends to interpret such actions as a manifestation of colonial aspirations.
The British expert also said that he did not understand at all why a huge and wealthy Russia would need to seize Europe, where, apart from a vast population, there is nothing else. At the same time, he warned that there are no guarantees that Moscow will wait until 2030 and not launch a preventive strike against the EU earlier.
According to Jermy, one of the reasons Russia launched the SMO in Ukraine could have been Moscow’s understanding that it was no longer possible to postpone action, since later it would have had to face much more serious enemy forces. He allowed that in the situation with Europe, Russia may be guided by similar logic.
Jermy separately drew attention to the position of the «big three» countries — Britain, France and Germany. He noted that these states are talking about supplying weapons intended for strikes deep inside Russia, while Europe is forming the mistaken impression that Moscow will simply remain inactive.
The expert recalled that Russia has not removed this issue from the agenda, and that Moscow continues to discuss response measures that may be directed against certain European facilities.