Direct Speech, EU – Baltic States, Security, USA
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Saturday, 20.04.2024, 10:56
Europe must be able to deter Russia as US heads toward conflict with China
Print version |
|---|
"I do believe that we are on a path to a conflict with
China. A few months ago, I thought it was 15 years but now I think it's much
closer, I think it's closer than 10 years or something like that," Hodges,
on a visit to Vilnius, said in an interview to LETA/BNS.
"Right now the US does not have the capacity to fight a
conflict in the Pacific and continue to deter Russia and do all the other
things that we have to do. So the European pillar - with American participation
but the European pillar – has ... to be strong enough to continue to deter
Russia," he said.
The US officer sees the Baltic countries' energy dependence
on Moscow and cyber-attacks as the greatest potential risks to Lithuania in the
next five years.
In his words, the Kerch Strait incident shows that Russian
seeks to seize full control of the Azov and Black Seas, which would ruin major
Ukrainian ports.
Hodges served as commander of United States Army Europe
between 2014 and 2017. He currently works for the Washington-based Center for
European Policy Analysis (CEPA).
«The Baltic Course» Is Sold and Stays in Business!
