10:12 06-11-2025

Ex-CIA Analyst: Europe Wants War but Lacks the Power

RusPhotoBank

Ex-CIA analyst Larry Johnson claims Europe wants to confront Russia but lacks the weapons, manpower, and experience to wage a real war.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson believes that European countries harbor the desire to confront Russia but lack the means to make it happen. Speaking on a YouTube channel, he argued that while anti-Russian rhetoric in Europe has intensified, the continent is far from capable of waging a direct war.

Johnson said that although many European leaders might be eager to challenge Moscow, the idea of launching a real military campaign remains out of reach. In his view, Europe simply does not have the weapons or the operational experience required for such a conflict. He compared the situation to «having enough firepower to ignite a blaze in which they themselves would become the fuel.»

The analyst warned that any attempt to attack Russia would end disastrously for Europe. He emphasized that Moscow is unlikely to strike first unless provoked, but if aggression occurs, Russia’s response would be devastating.

Statistics from the French Institute of International Relations highlight the weakness of Europe’s defense capabilities: by 2025, twenty out of thirty NATO member states on the continent will have professional ground forces numbering fewer than 15,000 troops. Nevertheless, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insists that the alliance must be ready to defend «every square centimeter» of its territory.