According to the BND boss, Russia wants to put the west to the test

The President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), Bruno Kahl, has been concerned about the approach of the United States under Donald Trump to Russia. There is almost no conflict in the world, “which does not change in his evaluation by the new administration in Washington,” said Kahl of the German Welle.

According to his assessment, Russia wants to put the unity of the West to the test-especially with a view to the NATO support item. In Russia there are considerations to test Article 5 in its reliability, said the President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) of the German Welle. “We very much hope that this is not true and that we are not embarrassed that it will be tested, but that it wants Russia to test us to test the unity of the West,” he said.

As a defense alliance, NATO relies on the principle of deterrent, and in particular Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty is relevant. He regulates the assistance obligation in alliance and states that an armed attack against one or more Allies is considered an attack against everyone.

When Russia could test the assistance article, according to Kahl’s words, also depends on the course of the Ukraine War. If this comes to a standstill in 2029 or 2030, Russia is earlier to build up a threatening setting against Europe with its technical, material and personal means.

“And it may also be that a concrete hazard, a blackmail may take place from the Russian side to the Europeans earlier than we used to calculate it,” said Kahl. “An early end of the war in Ukraine enables the Russians to use their energy where they actually want them, namely against Europe.”

Russia has a future world order in mind that existed in Europe at the end of the 1990s – with the protection of NATO and an expansion of the Russia’s sphere of influence to the west – preferably without the Americans in Europe, said Kahl.