German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told an audience at the Westphalian Peace Prize ceremony that Europe must strengthen its resilience against a surge in instability. He stated that the continent is readying for a new wave of Russian hybrid operations, including those described as 'severe,' and vowed that Berlin would respond 'quickly and very clearly' should they occur. These warnings coincide with statements from Vladimir Putin that the ongoing confrontation with the West could reach a 'fatal point of no return.'

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urged European allies to adapt to a reality where the Kremlin routinely carries out arson and sabotage on their soil. In response to these systemic risks, Germany and the Netherlands have committed to closer intelligence cooperation. This shift indicates a change in NATO's posture, moving from treating such activities as sporadic threats to managing a state of persistent hybrid warfare on European soil.