Europe needs a collective defence strategy to counter Russia | Guy Verhofstadt

We need to stand together against Putin. If we don't, he will become emboldened in his war with our liberal democracies

On Tuesday, Jean-Claude Juncker wrote to Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his electoral success, presumably taking inspiration from the list of global demagogues and dictators who were also quick to send their congratulations, from President Nicolis Maduro of Venezuela to President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus.

President Trump followed, but at least his advisers had given express instruction: "DO NOT CONGRATULATE". Which, of course, the American president ignored. Shamefully, neither Juncker nor Trump mentioned the deployment of Russian-made chemical weapons in Salisbury, nor did they raise concerns about the legitimacy of the so-called "election" we have just witnessed in Russia.

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