Russia preparing for NATO conflict for decades, expert says

Marek Menkiszak, head of the Russian Team at the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), states that Russia has been preparing for a full-scale war with NATO since at least the mid-2000s. He identifies 2007, marked by Vladimir Putin’s speech at the Munich Security Conference, as the beginning of Russia’s confrontational policy toward the West.

Menkiszak notes that subsequent actions, such as cyberattacks on Estonia and aggression against Georgia, served as challenges to Western institutions. He further points to 2013 as a period of intensified military preparations and aggressive actions near Russia’s borders, including strategic bomber patrols and the withdrawal from major arms control agreements.

According to the expert, Russia’s militarization is accelerating despite the ongoing aggression in Ukraine. He suggests that for a conflict with NATO to occur, Russia would likely first need to conclude the war in Ukraine. Menkiszak also emphasizes that Putin uses military power as a psychological tool for intimidation and deterrence, even without direct engagement.