Russia is paying a heavy price for its invasion of Ukraine, but Ret. Brig. Gen. Steve Anderson warned on CNN Thursday that the conflict is far from over.
While discussing Russia's stalled efforts to take over the eastern part of Ukraine, Anderson also touched on Finland's decision to apply for NATO membership, which he said showed that the military alliance of Western powers is growing stronger in the face of Russian aggression.
"I would submit to you, we're heading back to a Cold War, I think," he said. "I think there will be a stalemate in the Ukraine. Get ready for Cold War II."
Finland, which shares an 830-mile land border with Russia, did not join NATO during the first Cold War, although Russia's invasion of Ukraine has dramatically changed the calculus in Helsinki, as Finland's president and prime minister both came out in favor of joining on Thursday.
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Addressing the conflict in Ukraine, Anderson said that it appeared Russia's strategic options in eastern Ukraine appear limited even though they have a significantly larger military than the Ukrainians do.
"They're using artillery to blow the hell out of everything in their way, that's their only play," he said of the Russian military. "But they're really failing... their strategy is flawed in that they're devoting too many resources to smaller salients and they're not concentrated in one area. And we already have seen significant counterattacks up here by the Ukrainians."
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