European Officials Warn NATO Could Struggle in Prolonged War With Russia

Western military officials have warned that European countries could face serious difficulties sustaining a prolonged war of attrition with Russia if an all-out conflict were to erupt. Military advisers working with NATO and the European Union reportedly raised concerns at a forum convened by the Munich Security Conference, saying European governments and populations were not adequately prepared for a lengthy confrontation and urging planners to prepare for a conflict that could be brought to a swift conclusion.

The officials cited limited public support for a prolonged war, particularly amid energy shortages and the continuing cost-of-living pressures facing European populations. They also warned that Russia could be gaining ground in what they described as a broader hybrid conflict with Europe, potentially narrowing NATO and EU options should tensions escalate into direct military confrontation. Munich Security Conference President Wolfgang Ischinger said efforts were underway to explore a military format that could strengthen European defense cooperation beyond existing NATO and EU structures.

British officials have also expressed concern over the public’s understanding of the perceived Russian threat. One cabinet minister acknowledged that the West had been poor at explaining the potential consequences of hybrid warfare, while a British diplomat described the level of public debate as inadequate. Diplomats said British ministers face the difficult task of convincing voters to accept higher defense spending alongside potential reductions in welfare expenditure. They added that the failure to hold a national debate recommended in Britain’s 2025 Strategic Defense Review had complicated efforts to strengthen public resilience, while political divisions dating back to the Cold War could continue to provide Moscow with opportunities to exploit concerns across Europe’s political spectrum.