Europe is “no longer at peace” with Russia, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said. Newsweek has reached out to the Russian foreign ministry for comment via email. Relations between much of Europe and Russia plummeted to their lowest point in decades after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"Let me put it in a sentence that may be a little shocking at first glance ... we are not at war, but we are no longer at peace either," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sept. 29.

European officials fear that Moscow is escalating its antagonism of Europe as U.S. support recedes. A focus of worry now: election interference in Moldova.

Medvedev also said "vulnerable and divided" Europe is unprepared for a war with Russia, calling its citizens "inert and pampered," adding that they "don’t want to fight for any common ideals, or even for their own land."

“Russia has never had and does not have any such intentions” of attacking European or NATO countries, he said. “However, any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response. There should be no doubt about this among those in NATO and the EU.”

That campaign now seems to be migrating into the skies above Europe. For decades Russia has occasionally strayed into the national airspace of NATO allies, which follows national borders and extends 12 nautical miles from a country’s shoreline.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday that Europe could not afford a war against Russia but that if its leaders made the mistake of triggering one then it could escalate into a conflict with weapons of mass destruction.

Estonia is extending a fence along its border with Russia and building anti-tank ditches and bunkers in preparation for a potential conflict with Moscow.

Russia is pushing for its biggest conscription drive since 2016. President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree for plans to recruit 135,000 soldiers from Wednesday until the end of the year, according to the Russian government website. It is the single largest draft for mandatory service since 2016, when 152,000 soldiers were enlisted.

VLADIMIR Putin has ordered his biggest autumn military draft in nearly a decade – as fears mount that warmongering Russia could attack Europe. The Kremlin tyrant has called up 135,000 men as