Retired NATO General Warns Putin Will Unleash Chaos Across Europe if Ukraine Falls
A former NATO commander has issued a stark warning about the potential consequences if Britain does not continue supplying weapons to Ukraine and its allies in the Baltic states.
Sir Richard Shirreff, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, described a chilling scenario in which Russian President Vladimir Putin could expand his aggression beyond Ukraine, leading to direct war between European nations, including the UK.
Shirreff’s comments come amid growing concerns over US President Donald Trump’s stance on NATO. Critics argue that Trump has weakened the alliance by pressuring Ukraine, restricting intelligence sharing, and suspending military aid.
Speaking to The Sun, Shirreff said Trump’s approach had delivered a “mortal blow” to NATO. The US, once covering 22% of NATO’s annual budget of £3.2 billion, now contributes less than 16%. However, the country remains the world’s most dominant military power, outspending any other nation on defense, The Sun reports.
Shirreff warned that if Trump were to broker a peace deal that forces Ukraine into capitulation, it would only embolden Putin. “He’s never going to give up on his aim of taking over the whole of Ukraine either,” he said.
Putin, in a 2021 essay, questioned Ukraine’s sovereignty and claimed Russians and Ukrainians were “one people.” According to Shirreff, if Ukraine falls, Putin will set his sights on placing Kremlin-aligned governments in Georgia, Moldova, and Romania before targeting the Baltic states.
“If Europe is fractured, and if Europe doesn’t step up to the mark, then I really fear for our future,” Shirreff warned, urging European nations to strengthen their defenses and support Ukraine.
He highlighted the Russian military’s devastating tactics, citing Mariupol as an example. “It looks like the deportation of children, rape of women, and the massacre of civilians,” he said. “That’s what happens when Russia attacks. First will be the missiles, then the works.”
Reports have confirmed Russia’s forced deportation of Ukrainian children, widespread destruction, and allegations of war crimes. In Bucha, civilians were found executed with their hands tied behind their backs. While Russia dismissed these claims as a “false flag” operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it “genocide.”
Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges echoed Shirreff’s concerns, warning that Russia could strike vital European infrastructure, including “airports and seaports.” He urged European countries to strengthen their military capabilities.
Poland is already preparing for such a scenario, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk advocating for a military force of 500,000, including reservists.
Meanwhile, former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace suggested that Europe could manage its own security if the US withdrew from NATO. “We have the will in Europe and the money, if we choose to, to fix our own security and defense,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today program.
With uncertainty surrounding NATO’s future and the ongoing war in Ukraine, European nations may soon face difficult decisions about their military preparedness and the need for conscription.
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