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The Duma’s new move comes as fears are emerging that the Kremlin may be ready to test the West’s commitment to NATO. The window of opportunity is open “as long as Donald Trump is in the White House and Europe does not reinforce its military capacity”.
The Russian parliament approved this Wednesday a bill allowing President Vladimir Putin order the invasion of foreign countries.
According to the diploma, Moscow will be legally authorized to send troops abroad with the aim of protect Russian citizens who are detained, investigated, tried or otherwise mistreated by foreign states, international courts and organizations to which Russia is not a member.
«A Western justice has become a repressive machine to suppress decisions that contradict those imposed by European officials. In these circumstances, it is essential to do everything to protect our citizens abroad,” he said. Viacheslav Volodinchairman of the Duma, the Russian parliament.
According to the Russian agency, Putin now has 14 days to promulgate the bill.
Moscow justified its large-scale invasion of Ukrainein 2022, with the need to protect Russian-speaking Ukrainianswhom he considers compatriots.
The Kremlin claimed at the time that Kiev abused its rights for years and continues to demand the re-establishment of the Russian language and the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine at the state level as a condition of any peace agreement.
Kiev sees the new legislation as a normalization of Russian expansionism. “This decision can be described in two words: aggressive illegality,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman said. Heorhii Tykhyi.
“By granting yourself the unlimited right to use occupying forcesRussians out of the country under the pretext of supposedly protecting Russian citizens, Putin is effectively admit that aggression has become the norm of Russian state policy”, adds Tykhyi.
This year, several European intelligence services classified Russia as a direct threat to NATO and the West.
EU defense officials and members of the European Parliament fear that the Kremlin could face next year or two as the ideal time to test the Western commitment to military alliance.
According to three EU politicians with direct knowledge of the discussions, interviewed by Politico earlier this month, that window of opportunity will remain open while Donald Trump is in the White House and Europe does not strengthen its military capacity.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the Baltic countries could become Moscow’s next targetif Ukraine does not receive sufficient support.
Although this warning was later devalued by Estoniathe new Duma bill was interpreted in Kiev as confirmation of the ‘growing militarization of Russian politics», declared Tykhyi this Wednesday.
«The current composition of the Duma of the Russian Federation decided to go down in history as a factory of legalization of political adventures, occupation and terror».
