On Thursday, an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament's Security and Defense Committee was held in Brussels, devoted to, among others, threats around the Suwałki Isthmus. The meeting was attended by General Piotr Błazeusz, who before the debate emphasized that Russia's current military situation does not allow it to launch an invasion of any NATO country.
At the moment, thanks to Ukrainian forces, Russia is unable to launch any invasion of a NATO country. He simply isn't able to, said General Błazeusz.
According to him, it is Ukraine's resistance that effectively limits Russia's offensive potential and prevents it from taking open military action against the Alliance countries.
Hybrid operations below the threshold of war
Although a direct invasion is currently not possible, Moscow is not giving up its attempts to destabilize the West. General Błazeusz pointed out that Russia is conducting hybrid activities aimed at weakening Western countries and preparing the ground for possible future operations.
Russia keeps escalating. He is slowly climbing this escalation ladder and conducting what I call hybrid actions, the general emphasized.
These activities cover a wide range of measures - from cyberattacks, through disinformation, to border provocations. Their goal is to test the resilience and readiness of NATO countries and the European Union.
The Suwałki Isthmus - a strategic point on the map of Europe
One of the key topics of the meeting was the situation around the Suwałki Isthmus - a narrow strip of land connecting Poland with Lithuania, and thus the Baltic states with the rest of NATO. General Błazeusz noted that the threat to this area remains "constant and recognizable both in NATO and the European Union."
The importance of the Suwałki Isthmus results from its geographical location and its role in providing communication and support to the Baltic states. The general also pointed to other strategic areas, such as the so-called the Brest Gate, which also require special attention.
During the meeting, General Błazeusz emphasized that NATO has defense plans allowing for quick adaptation in the event of an increase in threat or escalation from Russia. The additional powers granted to the Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in Europe (SACEUR) are intended to enable faster reactions before final decisions are made regarding the activation of collective defense mechanisms.
The West must speak with one voice
The general drew attention to the need for close cooperation between NATO and the European Union. In his opinion, the Alliance should be responsible for the military dimension of defense, while the EU can use other pressure tools, such as economic sanctions or information activities.
The EU has tools to influence the Russian Federation - other instruments of power, for example economic and information, which it can use better than NATO, Błazeusz noted.
In the context of recent threats from Russia against European plants producing weapons for Ukraine, General Błazeusz emphasized that Western countries should use more decisive language in communication with Moscow.
We should, not militarily, but our political bosses, use a language that the other side will understand, he said.
He added that the West should be ready for a certain level of risk and clearly communicate that it has the ability to respond to Russia's actions.
