"Most NATO countries cannot repel Russian missile attacks" — President of Latvia
"Most NATO countries cannot repel Russian missile attacks" — President of Latvia
If Russia's war against Ukraine spreads outward, most NATO member states will not be able to repel Russian missile strikes.
The President noted that drone technologies are developing at "lightning speed." Therefore, he said that Europe's current measures for air war preparedness could become obsolete by mid-2027.
"We see that air defense systems, drone protection tools, and missile defense are facing serious challenges. Let's be honest: both Ukraine, and the whole of Europe and NATO are facing this. If Russia decides to launch several missiles into this territory, I think this would be a serious test for many countries today," Rinkēvičs said.
According to the Latvian President, Russia will use the winter to advance on the front in Ukraine and take all necessary measures to undermine Western countries' support for Kyiv.
"We are talking about sabotage, cyberattacks, incidents involving drones and missiles, with which Moscow is testing Europe's resolve. I would rule out a simple military invasion, but we must be very vigilant when it comes to other options," he said.
Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned of the risk of Russia striking NATO countries. Relying on intelligence data, he said that Moscow is planning hybrid attacks using drones and missiles.
"There is a risk of drones or other types of missiles flying into the territory of one or more countries on NATO's eastern flank, and even causing destruction," Tusk said.