Danish PM on Russia's hybrid attacks: We are being too polite
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has noted that European countries have recently been subjected to various hybrid attacks with a Russian trail and believes that the reaction of Western countries is "too polite".
Source: Frederiksen on an expert discussion in the United States on the sidelines of the NATO summit, European Pravda reports
Details: During the discussion, the host cited a number of examples of critical infrastructure incidents with a possible Russian trail, and asked at what stage, in Frederiksen's opinion, NATO allies could invoke at least Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty to convene consultations and begin to do something to deter Russia from new hybrid attacks.
"When you are listing some of the events we have seen just in a few months, it sounds like a bad movie, right? And I think that is our main problem. It was a bit the same feeling I had before the [Russian] attack on Ukraine. It was like we couldn't understand that Russia was going in a full-scale war in Europe. But they were," the Danish prime minister said.
🇺🇸🇪🇺🇩🇰 “We are simply being too polite”
— Dr. Benjamin L. Schmitt🇺🇸🇺🇦🇪🇺🇹🇼 (@BLSchmitt) July 11, 2024
On the margins of the #NATOSummit this week, at @CFR_org I asked Danish PM Frederiksen about Russia’s continued attacks on #EU energy & critical infrastructure & when #NATO Article 4 consultative mechanisms should begin.
Her response: pic.twitter.com/RFa5hb7HOW
She continued that the "hybrid war" is actually already underway, and Western powers seem to refuse to recognise the reality.
"They are attacking us every day now. It's not only on critical infrastructure – hybrid attacks, cyber attacks, disinformation, but also on migration. We have seen it in Belarus, in Lithuania, on the Finnish border. They are using migrants to destabilise European countries. All of this is part of modern warfare.
I think we have to take it much more seriously... And I think we (NATO) have to look at it as an attack on us, instead of just, well, "something again happened, and again, and again, and again"... I think we are simply being too polite," Frederiksen said.
Background:
- A senior NATO official told the media this week that he believed a NATO member country could request protection from the allies under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty because of Russia's hybrid and cyber attacks.
- Meanwhile, the German CEO of Rheinmetall company was provided with protection equal to that of the federal chancellor after an assassination attempt by Russia.
- Denmark has recently decided to raise the threat level of destructive cyber attacks on businesses, organisations and authorities from low to medium due to Russia's "intensified hybrid warfare".
Support UP or become our patron!
