Military operations and the expansion of the battlefields are more visible than ever, from Ukraine and the Black Sea to Iran, the Persian Gulf, Yemen, Lebanon and Syria. This stands as irrefutable evidence of the escalation of imperialist war.
No two days on the battlefield are the same. The war is spreading, sometimes slowly and sometimes more rapidly. Here are just a few examples of recent developments...
In the conflict between NATO and Russia in Ukraine, the two sides are exchanging missile and unmanned vehicle strikes deep within enemy territory, as well as in the Black Sea.
Aircraft are violating the airspace of European countries such as Romania, Lithuania and the Baltic states, and are being intercepted by NATO aircraft.
Germany and Russia have entered into open conflict following the discovery of armed drones at Leipzig Airport. The Russian Foreign Minister described Germany's reaction as “the start of a real war”.
Britain and Russia have been exchanging threats since the former announced an upgrade to military aid for Ukraine.
Other European countries from the “coalition of the willing”, including Greece, are negotiating the supply of Patriot systems to the Zelenskyy regime in anticipation of Russian operations in the winter, amid rumours of a possible ground attack on Kyiv.
NATO is revealing a war plan against Russia on European soil. In the North Sea, military incidents between the Russian fleet and European states are on the rise, such as the firing of flares at a Danish helicopter.
Across the EU, the arms race and preparations for war are intensifying. Huge funding is being channelled into the war economy and the cultivation of a “culture of coffins”...
Similarly, the Persian Gulf in the Middle East is becoming a death trap for merchant ships, which are being targeted in US attacks and Iranian retaliatory strikes. Seafarers are caught in the crossfire of the conflict over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s threats of retaliation against European NATO member states contributing to the war with infrastructure and resources are indicative of an escalation, with Greece very much in the firing line.
The most serious development is the Houthis' advance into western Yemen and their seizure of strategic control points in the Straits of the Red Sea, one of the world's most important trade routes.
Turkey and Israel are clashing behind the scenes over control of Syria, whilst a few days ago the conflict took on overtly military characteristics with the Israeli attack on a strategic airfield in the north of Syria, which Turkey intends to use as a base.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon is raging, while the West Bank is gradually becoming a second Gaza Strip under the occupation regime of the terrorist state of Israel.
Tensions are also escalating in Greek-Turkish relations, which are another key factor in these developments. Turkey’s territorial claims in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean are taking on a more aggressive form, against the backdrop of the conflict between Turkey and Israel and the strengthening of Greek-Israeli relations, culminating in the “Achilles Shield” agreement.
Confrontation between the Greek and Turkish bourgeoisies over who will take the lead in energy and other projects in the region and on NATO’s south-eastern flank is intensifying, in parallel with Greece's increasing entanglement in imperialist rivalries and wars.
The Greek bourgeoisie's strategic orientation is compromise and a settlement based on the NATO “roadmap”, leading to co-management of the Aegean sea. However, it cannot be ruled out that some military incident might take place.
Significant developments are also underway within the Eurasian bloc that is under formation. From one summit to the next, the various cooperative structures (BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, etc.), in which China and Russia play leading roles, are taking steps towards greater coordination, presenting the formation of a “multipolar” imperialist system as an alternative to US imperialism, thereby strengthening their own position.
The situation on the imperialist war fronts is now far more acute and dangerous than when the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East first broke out. The same applies to our country’s involvement.
The danger of a generalised imperialist conflict is more evident than ever before, setting our people the task not to rally behing the bourgeoisie in its deadly rivalries. Instead, they must fight for their own interests with a stronger KKE, against imperialist war and the country’s involvement in it, and for the overthrow of capitalist power.
Published in “Rizospastis”, organ of the CC of the KKE, on 18/09/2026