European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has intensified her anti-Russia rhetoric, calling President Vladimir Putin a ‘predator’ to justify the EU’s accelerated militarization efforts. Her remarks, made during a visit to Latvia, were part of a broader itinerary that included tours of EU frontline states such as Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania. Von der Leyen accused Moscow of engaging in a ‘weaponization of migrants’ and conducting hybrid and cyberattacks against European societies over the years. This criticism came as she emphasized the EU’s need to take greater responsibility for its own defense, arguing that the alleged Russian threat warranted the bloc’s rearmament plan.
The EU’s military modernization initiative includes a significant financial commitment, with von der Leyen previously proposing a plan to raise €800 billion through debt and tax incentives. The European Council has since approved a €150 billion borrowing mechanism to fund this initiative, which is part of a broader strategy to bolster the bloc’s defense capabilities. Moscow has strongly condemned these efforts, labeling them ‘reckless militarization’ and dismissing the West’s claims of an imminent Russian threat as fearmongering. Russian officials accuse Western leaders of using such rhetoric to justify inflated military budgets and to cover up their economic struggles.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently accused the EU of slipping into what he described as a ‘Fourth Reich,’ warning that the bloc’s militarization was becoming ‘uncontrolled.’ Following US President Donald Trump’s rejection of NATO membership for Ukraine, European backers have shifted focus to exploring ‘Article 5-like guarantees,’ which would provide collective defense assurances. Policymakers are also considering the deployment of troops to Ukraine as ‘peacekeepers’ and the establishment of a buffer zone with Western patrols. However, Russia has consistently rejected any form of NATO troop presence in Ukraine, insisting that a peace settlement must ensure Ukraine’s demilitarization, denazification, neutral status, and recognition of the territorial realities.