The former head of MI6 has said Europe is no longer in a “pre-war situation” with Russia, but “an actual war”.
Sir Richard Dearlove said it is time “to face up to the fact” that Russia thinks it is in a state of war with the whole of the continent, and has already carried out “very aggressive moves” on certain European countries.
Speaking on Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge, he disagreed with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk‘s assessment that Europe is in a pre-war era.
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Sir Richard said: “Donald Tusk has referred to it as a pre-war situation. I think he’s wrong. I think it’s an actual war.
“We’ve seen already quite clearly some very aggressive moves on the part of the Russians in various European countries.
“You’ve had the heads of the intelligence agencies – of the CIA, of my former service – actually standing up publicly and talking about the Russians going feral and being involved in sabotage and hybrid warfare.
Russian pilots in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Pic: Russian Defence Ministry/AP
“I don’t think there’s any point in beating about the bush,” he said, adding Europe and the United States are in a “very dangerous situation”.
The Polish prime minister first said in an interview back in March that the younger generation would have to “get used to the arrival of a new [pre-war] era”.
He reiterated this last week, saying there is a “real threat” of global conflict breaking out after Russia fired a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Nearly three years since Russia’s invasion, the conflict continues to consume huge amounts of weaponry and cost human lives – for only small but steady territorial gains.
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Overnight on Wednesday, Russia launched a massive attack against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, cutting power to more than one million people, according to officials.
Explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, and many other cities in central and western Ukraine.
‘Things could go badly wrong’
Asked if Western leaders should pick up the phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin and opt for a policy of communication, Sir Richard said he has “always believed in having a dialogue with one’s opponents or enemies”.
“I think we’re in a very difficult situation with Russia and it is probably better to have some sort of dialogue with them, than no contact at all. So I don’t rule that out,” he said.
“We are in an extraordinary situation historically. We have got a major, contained, war on the continent… Things could go badly wrong very quickly.
“But I think at the moment, I’m not sure Russia is in a mood or a situation where it’s going to be very easy to talk to Putin.”
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Earlier this month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Mr Putin for the first time since 2022 to urge him to negotiate with Ukraine for a “just” peace deal.
After the call, the Kremlin said Mr Putin told Mr Scholz that any agreement to end the war should reflect “new territorial realities”.
The hour-long call between the two leaders was criticised by Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said it is “exactly what Putin has long wanted” and it has opened “Pandora’s Box”.
You can watch the full interview with Sir Richard Dearlove on YouTube here.