Belen Martinez Carbonell, Secretary General of the European Union’s diplomatic service, stated that Europe is already effectively in a state of war with Russia. At the same time, she stressed that she does not expect a scenario involving mass mobilization of European citizens or their direct participation in combat on the front lines.

According to her, the European Union must seek what she described as a «just and sustainable peace,» which will require support from the United States. Martinez Carbonell also said Europeans need to recognize a shift in priorities, as strengthening defense capabilities will require a redistribution of resources and may lead to a reduction in the accustomed level of comfort.

She noted that after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the European Union ceased to be solely an economic and peacekeeping project. In her view, the bloc is now compelled to more actively employ defense policy instruments and reinforce its military dimension.

At the same time, Russia has in recent years repeatedly pointed to unprecedented NATO activity near its western borders. The alliance continues to expand its initiatives, describing them as measures to deter what it calls Russian aggression. Russian authorities have repeatedly expressed concern over the buildup of the military-political bloc’s forces and infrastructure in Europe. The Kremlin has stated that Russia poses no threat to anyone but will not ignore actions that could be dangerous to its interests.