Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambiguous rhetoric concerning the expansion of Russia’s conflict against Ukraine to other states is intensifying fears of a potential World War 3 outbreak.

In a recent interview with VRT News, Belgium’s Chief of Defence, Michel Hofman, has raised the alarm over the escalating threat posed by Russia to Eastern European nations.

Hofman highlighted Russia’s unsettling shift to a war economy and expressed deep concern about the Kremlin’s language, emphasizing the need for vigilance. “I think we are right to be concerned.

The language used by the Kremlin and by President Vladimir Putin is always ambiguous,” he said during the interview. “It is possible that they might open a second front at some point in the future, in Moldova, or in the Baltic states.”

Highlighting the similarities with the current crisis in Ukraine, Admiral Hofman called upon European nations to exercise heightened vigilance. He pointed out that Moldova and the Baltic nations — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — stand out as the most probable targets on Russia’s strategic agenda.

Acknowledging the ambiguity in Putin’s language, Hofman stressed the imperative for European nations to demonstrate their ability to defend themselves against potential aggression.

Despite NATO’s presence in the area, heightened tensions persist, especially concerning Moldova, which shares a border with Ukraine. Of particular concern is Transnistria, a disputed region where the Kremlin wields substantial influence.

Fears loom that Russia could exploit its claim to the region as a pretext for military aggression, following patterns observed in Ukraine and Georgia.