“Conflict is at our door.” The sobering message from Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte echoed across Europe on Thursday as he told leaders to prepare for “the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured”.

The latest bang of the war drum has forced European ministers to increase military preparedness, and hold their nerve in the face of wavering US support for the region .

But Rutte’s speech from Berlin, and his warning that Nato allies are the “next target” for Vladimir Putin should come as no surprise. For years, Europe has been locked in an unconventional war with Putin . New Feature

In Short

Quick Stories. Same trusted journalism.

Cyber attacks, criminal networks, and clandestine operations directed by the Kremlin have destabilised the continent’s critica

See Full Page