Putin tests European leadersPutin tests European leaders from the Baltic to the Balkans
POLITICO’s coverage on May 22 examines how Vladimir Putin is testing European leaders through pressure stretching from the Baltic region to the Balkans.
The discussion comes amid wider concern over European security, and it matters because it highlights how Russia’s actions continue to shape defense planning and political calculations across the continent.
Western Perspective
European officials and security analysts frame the Kremlin’s moves as part of a broader effort to probe NATO cohesion and test the limits of European readiness. From their view, the pressure is not isolated to one border but spans multiple vulnerable fronts.
Russian Perspective
Russian officials typically present their actions as legitimate responses to what they describe as Western military expansion and hostile pressure. In that framing, Moscow is defending its interests rather than seeking confrontation.
- Finland joined NATO in 2023, sharply changing the military map along Russia’s northwestern border.
- Serbia has balanced ties with both Russia and the European Union for years.
- The GLOBSEC Forum is a major annual security conference in Central Europe.
Russia-Ukraine War
Russia and Ukraine are locked in an retaliatory long-range drone and missile war that now strikes deep into both countries, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Crimea, and major Ukrainian cities like Kyiv and Dnipro. Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest drone attacks on June 26, striking 12 Russian regions and hitting key energy targets, while Russia continues massive retaliatory bombardments that kill civilians and destroy infrastructure.
26 June, 09:41 AM
Ukraine unleashes massive drone bombardment on 12 Russian regions24 June, 10:31 AM
Ukrainian drones knock out power in Russian-held Sevastopol22 June, 03:20 PM
Ukraine strikes Russian missile electronics plant in Voronezh
