Why Europe Is Preparing Both Soldiers and Civilians……by GPS Mann
Warnings of deniable Russian strikes, expanding hybrid attacks and uncertainty over America’s military presence have pushed Europe from planning to action.
The immediate trigger for Europe’s preparations is a deteriorating security environment. As India Today reports, French President Emmanuel Macron says Russian hybrid activity has intensified, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Moscow could launch limited drone or missile strikes against NATO countries supporting Ukraine and present them as accidents.
The danger is already appearing in fragments: suspected sabotage, cyberattacks, unidentified drones, airspace violations and interference with critical infrastructure. Germany has attributed an August drone incident at Leipzig airport to Russia. Moscow denies responsibility, and President Vladimir Putin insists that Russia has “no aggressive intentions” towards Europe.
The European Union’s immediate reaction is now taking shape. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a “counter-hybrid playbook” allowing a state facing sabotage, drone activity or a cyberattack to trigger emergency consultations and a coordinated EU response. She has also proposed a European Security Council involving EU members and close partners.
National governments are not waiting. Macron has ordered protection plans for critical infrastructure and sensitive defence-industry sites. Poland has strengthened air-defence and radar readiness during Russian attacks on Ukraine. Germany is preparing civilian hospitals for up to 1,000 wounded soldiers a day because its military hospitals could be quickly overwhelmed.
Civilian preparations are equally revealing. Lithuania and Poland have updated evacuation plans. Finland has added guidance on drones and air-raid warnings. Latvia is strengthening its eastern border and counter-drone capabilities. Britain has advised households to maintain emergency supplies.
These measures form part of a larger transformation. The EU’s Readiness 2030 blueprint calls for readiness against “the worst extreme military contingencies”. Its Preparedness Union Strategy seeks household self-sufficiency for at least 72 hours. Europe’s security vocabulary now includes not only soldiers, missiles and aircraft, but hospitals, railways, electricity networks, medicines, radios and drinking water.
Another anxiety is weakening confidence in America’s security umbrella. The Pentagon is reportedly considering withdrawing between 25,000 and 40,000 of the roughly 80,000 US troops stationed in Europe. No decision has been made, but the possibility reinforces the belief that Europe must assume greater responsibility for its defence.
No European authority has established that a Russian attack on NATO is imminent. Preparation is not proof of a suspected invasion. But the strategic shift is unmistakable: Europe no longer considers a wider confrontation unthinkable.
This creates its own danger. A drone strike described as accidental, sabotage causing civilian deaths or retaliation based on incomplete intelligence could draw NATO and Russia into a conflict neither intended. Military readiness and civilian resilience must therefore be accompanied by diplomacy capable of preventing miscalculation.
Europe has not declared war.
It is preparing for a conflict that may begin without any declaration—and may strike hospitals, airports and power grids before it reaches the battlefield. But it has definitely put the world on edge again.
September 20, 2026.
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GPS Mann, Farmer and Former Member of the Punjab Public Service Commission
gpsmann@substack.com
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