Vice Admiral Reesink voiced this assessment in an interview with Politico. Reesink said Russia is gradually strengthening ties with China across geopolitical, economic, and military dimensions—a development that poses new security threats to Europe.

President Vladimir Putin said in remarks published on Sunday that Russia had sufficient strength and resources to take the war in Ukraine to its logical conclusion, though he hoped that there would be no need to use nuclear weapons.

The vice president told the Munich Leaders Meeting that the U.S. wants to see Ukraine and Russia speak directly.