Russian President, Vladimir Putin’s threats to invade the Baltics and bring a new war to Europe must be taken seriously, a former CIA director and top US Army general has warned.
General David Petraeus, who served nearly four decades in the US military, said the Russian dictator “won’t be satisfied to stop with Ukraine”.
Retired four-star US general Petraeus, who commanded Allied Forces in Iraq, said Ukraine’s allies in the West must do more to help win the war against Putin.
This week, Putin warned he will send his allies long-range missiles in response to the West sending Ukraine weapons.
Speaking to The Sun, Petraeus said Putin has been “very clear” about bringing a new war to Europe.
The world “should listen” to Putin as he “tells us what he believes”, the former CIA boss warned.
Petraeus said: “The Ukraine war could expand in the region if Putin succeeds in Ukraine.
“He wouldn’t be satisfied to stop with Ukraine. Moldova clearly would be next.
“After that it might be Lithuania or one of the other Baltic states.
“He’s been very clear and I think it’s also clear in hindsight that we should listen to this individual. He tells us what he believes.”
In order to defeat Putin, the West must do “everything humanly possible” to help Ukraine, Petraeus urged.
And Ukraine must also push to make “greater strides in technology” in the battle against Russia’s vast army, he added.
“Ukraine has to do more to enable itself and is finally doing that… it needs to crank it into a higher gear to generate more replacement soldiers and also additional units,” Petraeus said.
“Keep in mind that what they did in the Black Sea wasn’t by their ships or their sailor but their drones.
“Its maritime drones, its aerial drones and its anti-ship missiles have enabled them to sink one third of the Black Sea fleet ships.
“Russia has had some of its own. The glide bombs that they are now using are particularly pernicious and ineffective unfortunately.”
“[Putin] has been very clear and I think it’s also clear in hindsight that we should listen to this individual. He tells us what he believes
“Russia is generating considerable additional forces, has a population far more than three times that of Ukraine, has ten times the economy and some other advantages.
“The reality is a difficult one and yet another reason why we should be doing all that we can to help Ukraine in every possible way.”
