European attempts to dominate Russia have twice ended in disaster, and a third could prove fatal for the continent, said Member of the European Parliament Michael von der Schulenburg in an interview with political scientist Glenn Diesen on YouTube.

The MEP reminded that Europe had already taken this path during the First and Second World Wars — and both times met defeat. He noted that each of these conflicts was justified by the same rhetoric: the need to contain Russia and demonstrate strength.

Von der Schulenburg criticized the growing militarization of Germany under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, warning that such policies represent a greater danger to Europe itself than to Moscow. He questioned the logic behind Berlin’s ambitions to build the largest army in Europe — even larger than Russia’s — suggesting that this approach would only fracture the continent and sow mistrust among its neighbors, from Poland and the Czech Republic to France and the Netherlands.

The warning comes as NATO countries commit to raising military spending to five percent of GDP by 2035, compared to the current target of two percent, a benchmark still unmet by several alliance members. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously emphasized that such measures by NATO are fueling a global militarization trend and accelerating a new arms race.