Vladimir Putin will invade a NATO country if he prevails in Ukraine, warned David Petraeus, an American general and former CIA chief, stating that Lithuania would be the most exposed to the risk.
Russia could launch an incursion into this Baltic state to test the resolve of the West or as a precursor to a broader offensive, the general argues.
Petraeus also criticized American President Donald Trump for repeatedly giving Putin a second chance and attacked his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not adequately arming the Ukrainian forces, according to Daily Mail.
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The former CIA chief urged the United Kingdom to withdraw from international agreements that prohibit the use of fragmentation munitions on the battlefield. He said that these weapons could prove to be an essential deterrent.
"We should have done more for the Ukrainians so they could change the dynamics on the battlefield to show Moscow that it cannot gain additional gains on the battlefield at an acceptable cost," Petraeus said.
He specified that Russia's goal was to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky in order to "install a puppet leader and control the entire Ukraine."
Once he succeeds in doing this, you will see him focusing on one of the Baltic countries. Lithuania has been prominently featured in his speeches," the former CIA chief noted.
While Europe mobilizes against the Russian threat, conducting NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea and promoting greater interoperability among allies, the American position continues to be wavering.
Petraeus described Russia's losses as "unimaginable" and says that Moscow is delaying a peace deal in order to capture more Ukrainian territory.
Although Trump has changed his tone towards Putin, describing his behavior as "absolutely insane," the US has not yet effectively forced him to the negotiating table.