Lieutenant General Bertrand de La Chesnais of the French Armed Forces served in many operational theatres and had several high-level roles within the French military establishment. Lieutenant General Bertrand de La Chesnais discusses the failure of Western policies toward Russia and the possibility of disaster by continuing to go down the same path. The risks are growing, and Europe continues to posture despite the disasters that await it if it escalates further. Reality must reassert itself, which entails Ukraine functioning as a neutral buffer and recognising that Russia must have a seat at the table in Europe. This means that the entire format for a federalised Europe must be reconsidered, which has also undermined the traditional nation-state. Europe must rebuild itself rather than drag the rest of the world into its decline. Europe should clean its own house first and reverse the decline caused by debt, deindustrialization, social disorientation, loss of values, and poor education.