Russia is unmistakably at war with the West—an assertion dramatically reinforced by recent actions and public statements. The ongoing confrontation is vividly analyzed in the recent article “Russia is at War with the West” on RealClearDefense (13 September 2025), which outlines Russia’s escalating military, hybrid, and cyber activities against European and NATO states. The German response, both in rhetoric and concrete defense moves, further validates the article’s thesis: Berlin fully recognizes both the scale and urgency of the Russian threat, and is actively re-shaping its defense policies in response.
Zapad-2025 – not really only a military exercise
Russia’s war against the West comprises more than battlefield operations in Ukraine. It includes sabotage, disinformation, targeted cyberattacks, and direct provocations challenging the cohesion and resolve of NATO and the EU. The Zapad-2025 military exercises, large-scale troop movements, and mobilization of hybrid tactics are essential evidence of Russia’s belligerent posture. As argued, European countries must urgently adapt their defense readiness, boost military spending, and coordinate more effectively, because Russia’s objective is nothing less than a rewiring of the European security architecture to its advantage.
Recent German government responses underscore this diagnosis
Following the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones in September 2025, Germany rapidly extended and intensified its air patrols and fighter jet deployments along NATO’s eastern border. Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared unequivocally that this incursion represents a “serious threat to peace in all of Europe,” echoing the RealClearDefense perspective that Russia’s aggressive posture directly imperils European security. Merz has repeatedly affirmed Germany’s full readiness to defend both itself and NATO, explicitly highlighting that Berlin’s strategy moving forward is one of reinvigorated deterrence, in line with NATO’s efforts at military adaptation. German Chief of Defence Carsten Breuer and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius have publicly warned of Russian hybrid warfare—encompassing disinformation, energy sabotage, and cyber espionage—targeting German and European critical infrastructure. Thus, Germany is spearheading calls for tighter controls on Schengen entry and has been a leading voice pressing for harsher EU sanctions in response to Russia’s ongoing hybrid attacks and drone provocation campaigns. Security and intelligence services in Germany have been put on heightened alert for Russian attempts to interfere in elections, sabotage physical infrastructure, or foment social unrest via covert and overt means—precisely the “gray zone” tactics referenced in NATO assessments.
Zapad-2025 – a further measure in Hybrid Warfare
As Russia mobilizes for the Zapad-2025 military exercises, comprehensive hybrid operations—including European undersea infrastructure sabotage, GPS jamming in the Baltic region, and drone operations—are being tracked and countered by German and allied authorities. This provides further support for the argument that Russia is still waging a multi-dimensional campaign against Europe, with Germany playing a frontline role both in recognizing and countering these threats. Germany may not call it “war” in the constitutional’s and legal “status of defense” – but Russia is seeing itself in it. Russian state rhetoric is strategically ambiguous—aimed at portraying Russia as a victim of Western aggression and justifying domestic mobilization, while avoiding specific statements that would trigger legal or international obligations associated with a declared state of war. This is the same tactics as it is with Ukraine, where it never has been declared as a “war” but as a “special military operation” while indeed the status of war is obvious.
Diagnosis is clear: Russia is at war with the West
The diagnosis couldn’t be clearer. The recent RealClearDefense article is not only correct, but we are already witnessing a concrete policy on the European continent, with Germany at the forefront, that there is a kind of war – while not actually calling it so. German actions—ranging from concrete defense readiness measures, through energetic messaging, to realignments in security coordination—validate that Russia’s war with the West is well underway, fought in the military, hybrid, and informational realms alike. Similar to the peace slogan “Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came” we could say: “Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody declares it as such.” And as U.S. does not want to involve too much – it is indeed a Russian-European war. It has already started. The declaration of war will be given later – in the history podcasts in 10 years or so.
