Russia is preparing for war with NATO: experts named specific timelines.

According to ТСН: The Western world is on the brink of a possible global conflict for which it is completely unprepared. Leading defense experts, intelligence officers, and military personnel expressed such views during a closed meeting in the government district of London - Whitehall.

The conference organized by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) revealed the reality of the situation: Russia is actively preparing for confrontation with Europe, and the timelines are not measured in decades, but in years.

According to intelligence data, Moscow does not rule out the possibility of starting a full-scale war against NATO by 2029. However, the Baltic states and analysts from Harvard's Kennedy School speak of even closer timelines - 2027 or 2028.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also noted that Russia may use military force against the Alliance within the next five years. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin claims to be 'ready to fight right now' if Europe desires it.

Hybrid war is already underway

Experts note that the war is already ongoing, albeit in a hybrid format. Russia is carrying out diversions, jamming GPS signals in the Baltic states, and launching drones into NATO's airspace.

'We see drones near airports, and I think the feeling is growing that it is probably just a matter of time before one of these drones brings down a passenger plane,' said Professor Sam Green from King's College London.

A striking example of the threat was the incident in the Polish town of Wyriki-Wola, where Russian UAVs violated airspace, resulting in the destruction of a local resident's house.

A serious problem remains the discrepancy between plans and reality. Senior Research Fellow at RUSI Jack Watling sharply criticized the approach of European governments.

'There is a plan, and it has numbers in it. But governments are not taking the necessary steps to implement it. We are still planning based on what does not exist,' emphasized the expert.

General Richard Barrons, former head of the UK's Joint Forces Command, stated that at the current pace, it would take the United Kingdom 10 years to prepare for war. But the enemy won't give that much time - only 3 to 5 years remain.

Why the era of peace has ended

For decades, Europe enjoyed the 'dividends of peace,' cutting military spending in favor of social programs. However, that time has already passed.

Citizens are advised to prepare for the worst. Sweden and Finland have already issued survival instructions, and France is preparing its population for possible losses. General Fabien Mandon provoked considerable reaction by stating that the French must 'come to terms with the loss of their children' to protect the nation.

Experts warn that governments should stop soothing the population and begin an open conversation about the fact that the times when the threat of war could be ignored are gone forever.

Against this backdrop, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth compared the current international situation to 1939 when World War II began. He emphasized that the United States must urgently shift defense procurement to 'military rails' and prepare to deter growing threats. Hegseth noted that Washington's opponents are actively enhancing their military capabilities and technologies, while the U.S. response remains slow.

In the context of rising tensions between Russia and NATO countries, experts assert that the situation involves not only military aspects but also the psychology of the population. Europeans are facing the necessity to change their attitudes toward security and defense, taking into account the new challenges on the horizon. Calls for readiness from governments signify an awareness of the seriousness of the modern international situation.