‘Escalate to deescalate’: Putin seeks to push Europe, NATO to the brink and force them to stand down

Russia and key ally Belarus have begun joint military drills, amid tensions with NATO countries after Poland accused Moscow of breaching its airspace with attack drones. European leaders on Thursday expressed alarm over growing Russian hostility threatening their countries as Moscow’s forces pursue their invasion of Ukraine. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Alison Sargent welcomes Peter Zalmayev, Director of the Eurasian Democracy Initiative.