Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, passed a bill on Wednesday that broadens President Vladimir Putin's authority to dispatch troops to foreign nations.

The proposed law, if enacted, would authorize the Kremlin to intervene militarily to safeguard Russian nationals encountering arrest, detention, or other claimed forms of oppression overseas.

"Western 'justice' has become a tool of repression, targeting those who oppose the dictates of European bureaucrats," declared State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin in an official statement.

"In such circumstances, we must take every step to protect our compatriots living abroad."

President Putin has a 14-day window to approve the legislation and turn it into law.

This development echoes Moscow's rationale for its 2022 incursion into Ukraine, where it cited the need to defend Russian-speaking areas like Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

Even today, Russia insists on restoring the status of the Russian language and Orthodox Church in Ukraine as prerequisites for any ceasefire deal.

EU Fears Russian Aggression as US Reduces European Presence Under Trump

European Union leaders voice alarm that Putin might spark a confrontation with the continent in the coming one to two years, probing America's dedication to NATO alliances.

These worries follow reports from two US officials that the Pentagon scrapped a plan to station 4,000 troops from the United States in Poland on a short-term basis.

The move, initially covered by Army Times, occurred shortly after the announcement of pulling 5,000 soldiers from NATO partner Germany - a decision linked partly to growing tensions between President Donald Trump and European allies over the Iran conflict.

Last December, Putin warned that Russia stands prepared for potential hostilities with Europe.

"Should Europe decide to engage us in battle and make the first move, we are fully ready today," the Russian leader stated.