Putin to Gain Powers to Attack EU and NATO Countries

The government has submitted to the State Duma a draft law developed by the Ministry of Defense that expands Vladimir Putin's powers to use the Armed Forces abroad to "protect Russians" in the event of their arrest or criminal prosecution by foreign courts. The document has been published on the lower house's website.

According to the draft law, this concerns situations where Russian citizens are arrested or detained abroad by courts "empowered without the participation of the Russian Federation," as well as by international judicial bodies that Moscow does not recognize. In such cases, the head of state will be able to make decisions on the "extraterritorial" use of the army to protect compatriots.

Current legislation already allows the use of troops abroad to repel attacks on Russian military formations, to protect another state at its request, to protect citizens from armed attacks, and to combat piracy. The new draft law amends the laws on "Defense" and "Citizenship," supplementing the grounds for military intervention.

According to Dmitry Malbin, a partner at Verba Legal, the initiative is directly related to the European Union's plans to create a special tribunal to prosecute the Russian leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. The Council of Europe announced the establishment of such an entity in the summer of 2025, and by autumn, 26 EU countries confirmed their participation. In January 2026, the European Union allocated the first 10 million euros for its operation. The tribunal, modeled after Nuremberg, is expected to hold at least 20 individuals accountable.

The draft law has been submitted to the State Duma against the backdrop of a series of warnings from NATO and European intelligence about a possible preparation by Russia for conflict with one or several alliance countries. In the summer of 2025, the head of the German intelligence service BND warned of the risk of provocations in the Baltic States following the Crimean scenario, while in February, the Danish intelligence stated that Russia has the capability to start a large-scale war in Europe within five years. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte agreed with these assessments, while the Chief of Staff of France, General Fabien Mandon, called for preparations for a confrontation with Russia in the next 3–4 years.

According to specialists from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the "zero phase" of such preparations in Russia has already begun: military districts are being reorganized, bases are being created on the border with Finland, and diversions, GPS jamming, and other provocations are being recorded in Europe.