This primarily concerns the increase in hybrid threats from Russia towards NATO countries.
Dictator Putin / © Associated Press
The visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Russia was linked to warnings for Russian dictator Putin, particularly regarding further escalation by the Kremlin.
This opinion was expressed by diplomat Pavlo Klimkin in an interview with Radio Liberty.
According to him, this primarily concerns the increase in hybrid threats from Russia towards NATO countries. Klimkin noted that the incident with the drone in Leipzig might be just one of many similar cases.
“But this is more related to raising the stakes regarding Russia’s current hybrid influence in the NATO space. And it’s not just about the drone in Leipzig. And, as I understand it, we will hear some interesting things in the foreseeable future. And there are several such cases every day. They are simply not publicized. And perhaps American intelligence has information about further escalation,” he said.
Klimkin believes that Putin had long counted on the factor of time, hoping to exhaust Ukraine and the West. However, in his opinion, the situation has now changed.
“Now, I believe, time is strategically working against him. These are unequivocally high stakes, an escalation of stakes, a possibility of either de-escalating certain issues based on warnings and proposals, or some warnings regarding retaliatory actions,” the diplomat explained.
Klimkin emphasized that the level of the CIA director is used precisely for such serious signals. In his opinion, Ratcliffe’s trip indicates that he had the appropriate mandate from US President Donald Trump and his closest foreign policy circle.
“And when John Ratcliffe comes, it means, firstly, he has Trump’s sanction, he has the sanction of the people who determine foreign policy around Trump. These are Vance, Rubio. It’s a small group of people. Around Trump, not many people, as I understand it, have the opportunity to tell him something. And this means it was a serious conversation,” he said.
At the same time, Klimkin is convinced that Ukraine was also discussed during the negotiations in Moscow.
“One hundred percent. What is happening now in the Western Asian space, what we sometimes like to call the Middle East, and what is happening around us – these two realities are increasingly overlapping,” the diplomat noted.
According to him, events around Ukraine and Iran are becoming more closely linked. In particular, he drew attention to the strategic importance of the Caspian Sea for the interaction between Iran and Russia.
Klimkin also suggested that the situation in Europe and Russian hybrid operations might have been discussed during the meeting.
“100%, they probably talked about Europe, as many tell Americans that all these Russian tricks with drones flying, taking off from gray tankers. Threats to critical infrastructure. This is what affects the entire West,” Klimkin stated.
Earlier, it was reported that Russian dictator Putin once again tried to present strikes on Ukrainian cities, industrial enterprises, and ports as a response to attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian oil refineries and logistics centers.
We previously informed that modern warfare has completely transitioned into a format of mutual economic exhaustion, where Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure inflict colossal and tangible damage on the enemy.
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