NATO Army Chief Sounds Alarm: 'The Threat Is Real'

 

The head of the British Army has issued a stark warning about growing threats to NATO, declaring the danger “real” and pointing to serious challenges facing the alliance, particularly amid rising fears that Russia could launch an attack within the next few years.

General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the British Army, emphasized the gravity of the situation during a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on Wednesday. “We are facing significant challenges that demand a collective response,” he said. “Among them, the most pressing is our limited time. A sense of urgency is critical if we are to address the threats ahead.”

Concerns about Russia’s future actions have intensified, especially with speculation that a ceasefire in Ukraine could free up large numbers of Russian troops currently tied down at the front. NATO officials have increasingly warned of the threat Russia may pose to Europe in the near future.

According to an assessment by Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service published in February, Russia could be capable of launching a large-scale war against NATO within five years—particularly if U.S. support diminishes. Similarly, Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, said Russia might be in a position to attack Europe as soon as two to four years after the war in Ukraine ends—and potentially even sooner if Western sanctions are lifted.

While the war in Ukraine has severely damaged much of Russia’s land forces, key elements of its military—such as the air force and naval units based outside the conflict zone—remain largely intact. Recent satellite images suggest that Russia is expanding military bases near the Finnish border, signaling long-term preparations just outside NATO territory. Finnish defense officials have acknowledged increased Russian activity close to their frontier.

NATO leaders have also raised concerns over Russia’s use of hybrid warfare—tactics intended to destabilize and weaken opponents without triggering open conflict. Notably, in recent months, undersea communication cables in the Baltic Sea, dominated by NATO members, have been mysteriously severed or damaged in suspected hybrid operations.

Some analysts believe Moscow may intensify covert actions or even attempt to seize a small part of NATO territory using troops previously deployed in Ukraine, potentially testing the alliance’s response.

In the face of mounting pressure from former President Donald Trump and his administration, European NATO members have pledged to increase defense spending, which had significantly declined after the Cold War. Trump, now campaigning for re-election, controversially suggested he would not protect NATO members he views as underfunding their militaries—and might even encourage Russian aggression against them.

Trump officials have floated a new defense spending benchmark of 5 percent of GDP for NATO members, a sharp increase from the current alliance goal of 2 percent—a target that several members still fail to meet. Notably, even the United States does not currently allocate 5 percent of its GDP to defense.

While European leaders acknowledge long-standing U.S. calls for increased investment in defense, many now see dramatic hikes in military spending as essential and overdue. Meanwhile, Washington has signaled plans to reduce its military presence in Europe in the coming months.

“We got the memo,” Walker said. “It took a few tries, but we understood it.”