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French Military Chief Warns Russia Could Strike NATO by 2030, Urges EU Readiness
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![Photo of Roman Kohanets]( "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
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General Thierry Burkhard, France’s Chief of Defense Staff, has warned that Russia could be in a position to launch a conventional military assault on a NATO country by 2030, highlighting a shifting security landscape and urging increased European preparedness, as was reported by The Economist on July 31.
In an interview General Burkhard stated: “We have to consider that in five years’ time, Russia could again be in a position to pose a military threat to NATO.”
This warning echoes similar assessments from other NATO officials, including German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who said earlier that an attack could come as early as 2029.
According to NATO intelligence assessments cited in The Economist, Russian forces have maintained a high tempo of operations in Ukraine while simultaneously working to reconstitute units, ramp up defense production, and conduct large-scale exercises near NATO borders.
Despite battlefield attrition, Russia’s military-industrial base is being reoriented for sustained output.
General Burkhard emphasized that France is already preparing for such a contingency. The country’s new military programming law commits nearly $460 billion in defense spending through 2030.
This includes doubling France’s capacity for rapid deployment and significantly increasing ammunition reserves.
“If we want to be credible,” Burkhard told The Economist, “we must be able to fight tonight.”
Earlier, it was reported that German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Russia may be capable of a limited strike on NATO territory by 2029–2030, with the intent to test the alliance’s resolve—and that its hybrid tactics also target critical infrastructure and domestic political stability in Europe.
