Putin as big a threat to Europe as Islamic State, says Fallon
Defence secretary warns that Russia poses a 'real and present danger' to the Baltic States

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Vladimir Putin is as much of a threat to Europe as Islamic State, posing a "real and present danger" to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, the UK's Defence Secretary has warned.
Michael Fallon said that Nato is "getting ready" for any kind of "aggression from Russia whatever form it takes".
The UK will be sending military personnel to eight Nato sites in eastern Europe to reinforce their defences and deter any Russian challenge, he said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Times describes his comments as "some of the toughest language of any senior British minister towards Russia since the crisis over Ukraine erupted a year ago".
It comes as Ukrainian troops yesterday pulled out of the strategic town of Debaltseve after it was stormed by pro-Russian rebels – a "highly significant victory" for the Moscow-armed separatists, reports The Guardian.
Fallon suggested that the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine had all but collapsed and raised concerns that Putin would deploy the techniques used in Ukraine, such as sending in armed men in unmarked military uniforms, to destabilise the Baltic States.
Speaking to journalists on board a flight to Sierra Leone, where British forces are helping to fight Ebola, Fallon said the likelihood of such warfare techniques being deployed in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia was a "very real and present danger".
All three countries are members of Nato, meaning that an attack on one could trigger all Nato members to respond.
Asked whether the West was ready for war with Russia, he said: "Nato has to be ready for any kind of aggression from Russia whatever form it takes. Nato is getting ready."
He added that it was not a new Cold War because it appeared that tensions were "warming up".
Moscow has sharply increased its defence spending, and two weeks ago two Russian bombers were flown down the English Channel, prompting the UK to scramble jets to see them off, Fallon said.
"That just shows you, you need to respond," he added. "Each time he does something like that, you need to be ready to respond."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Azerbaijan attacks disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, breaking cease-fire
The 'local anti-terrorist' strikes in the ethnic Armenian enclave threaten to reignite a war with implications for Russia, Turkey and the West
By Peter Weber Published
-
Canada's Trudeau accuses India of role in assassination of Canadian Sikh leader
Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat after going public with explosive 'credible allegations' that Indian agents helped kill a Canadian citizen
By Peter Weber Published
-
US-Iran prisoner swap: has Biden given in to blackmail?
Republicans condemn $6bn deal but it could help de-escalate rising tensions
By The Week Staff Published
-
Russia and Ukraine face off in The Hague over genocide case
Kyiv is hoping court will rule Russia's actions illegal but Moscow wants the case dismissed
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
Indigenous Voice referendum: is this Australia's 'Brexit moment'?
The referendum on Indigenous rights may be a moment of reckoning for the 'open wounds of nationhood'
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
Is Biden's whirlwind Vietnam trip a warning to China?
Today's Big Question Emphasizing 'growth and stability,' the president keeps an eye on Hanoi's neighbor to the north
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
Is Elon Musk too powerful?
Today's Big Question When one tech billionaire can stop an entire army on the other side of the globe, the risks might outweigh the rewards
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
Is Biden losing Black voters?
Talking Point The prospect has Democrats nervous about 2024
By Joel Mathis Published