Europe has not formally declared a continent-wide “war alert”, but taken together, the measures now being implemented across the EU and NATO show something unmistakable: governments are preparing their militaries, infrastructure and populations for the possibility that the confrontation with Russia could eventually move beyond Ukraine.

Britain is reviving its Cold War-style government “War Books” and planning a major national home-defence exercise for 2027, integrating civilian authorities with military preparations for a conflict affecting British territory.

At the EU level, Brussels is urging households to be capable of surviving at least 72 hours without outside assistance, while expanding strategic reserves of food, medicine, fuel and critical equipment. At the same time, Europe is mobilising hundreds of billions of euros for air defence, missiles, ammunition, drones, military mobility and critical-infrastructure protection.

Germany has ordered a rapid expansion of military readiness, ammunition stocks, air defence and long-range strike capabilities, with senior military officials publicly working around assessments that Russia could regain the ability to mount a large conventional attack against NATO territory later this decade.

Finland has raised the maximum reservist age to 65, putting its reserve force on course to approach one million personnel.

Poland is constructing its “Eastern Shield” along the Russian and Belarusian frontier, while Poland and the Baltic states have moved away from the anti-personnel mine ban as they strengthen their eastern defences.

Denmark has expanded conscription to women and lengthened military service, while NATO’s eastern members are reinforcing borders, energy networks, bunkers and anti-drone defences.

The important point is not that Europe believes war with Russia is inevitable. It is that European planning has changed.

For decades, major-power war on European territory was treated as an extremely remote scenario. Today it is increasingly becoming a scenario governments are budgeting for, exercising for and physically preparing for.

Europe calls this deterrence and preparedness.

But the military reality is clear: the continent is rebuilding many of the structures designed for a war Europeans once believed would never return.