NATO responses to Russia hybrid warfare, military reserves and Ukraine

I think it is probably long past the time where there was more robust action being taken by countries in Europe [against Russian hybrid warfare]. Some of it might be happening already. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. But the question really here is how much of that is defensive and how much of it is offensive and more disruptive. I think that what it could look like is stepped up intelligence activity that effectively goes after the tools that the Russians are using to create problems...There are a number of schemes across Europe at varying different levels of maturity, where countries look at how they mobilise people for defensive purposes or to join the armed forces, or make better use of expertise in their societies that will support security. And this French model seems to be the latest. I mean what I make of this is that France is thinking seriously, assuming it implements this, about how do we boost our level of readiness and preparedness if there is a conflict, not least - and we discussed this at a major conference at RUSI yesterday - if you can demonstrate you have greater depth, greater depth of resources of people, of reserves to improve your resilience, you might contribute to deterrence because you look frankly like a tougher target. You make it look like if there is conflict it will be drawn out and not a quick or easy win... I think there is interest in Russia over what they can get from these negotiations, because it might be that they are offered something that they weren't necessarily expecting. But the way that they are set up in terms of their industry, their recruitment and how they're acting on the battlefield, they still seem to be backing themselves to be able to break Ukraine's will to resist, or at the very least make them unviable as a sort of separate economic entity. And the line that they are trying not to cross is for any blame in the breakdown of talks to be transferred across to them. They want to make it look like the Ukrainians are the ones that are being unreasonable."