The Pentagon has issued a stark warning of a possible direct confrontation between Russia and NATO. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has called for additional funding for war efforts, urging action before it's too late.
The warning is particularly directed towards NATO forces in the eastern region. According to Austin, they must be prepared to confront Russia, stating that Moscow "will not stop" after its actions in Ukraine.
"If you are a Baltic country, you are genuinely worried about whether you will be the next target," he stated before the US House Armed Services Committee, as quoted by RT on Monday (4/3/2024).
"And frankly, if Ukraine falls, I am highly confident that NATO will engage in conflict with Russia," he added.
Austin went on to claim that "autocrats around the world will take note." He suggested that they would be emboldened by the failure of democracy supporters.
Washington has been a key supporter of Kyiv since Russia's military operations in 2022. However, the $45 billion war fund has been exhausted, and additional US aid following Ukraine's retaliation has yielded little progress by the end of last year.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that his country "will definitely lose the war" without sustained US support. This comes as a new $60 billion aid package was halted in Congress amid Republican opposition.
The US military is considering whether to utilize the remaining $4 billion allocated for Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly criticized Western arms shipments to Ukraine, warning that they will only prolong the conflict and drag the West into direct hostilities, possibly even nuclear war.