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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder if anyone has or is considering moving to a country that's less likely to be involved if Putin attacks a NATO country. (title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)

393 replies

Carla786 · 17/01/2026 00:02

I hope that if WW3 happened, I'd be brave enough to stay and fight. I love Britain & I'd hate to leave it or see it invaded by Putin.

However, at the same time I'm wondering about the recent rush of articles suggesting conflict with Russia is inevitable by around 2030 and that civilians need to prepare to be conscripted to fight if NATO is attacked. I'd always thought Britain being land-invaded was fairly unlikely, but being called up to fight in a NATO war widens the options of what might happen.

Countries that are less likely to be involved include Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland. I don't particularly want to move to any of these. If call-ups are likely to be imminent in about 4 years, I don't know..

The country I've always thought I'd move to if I did move is Poland (where I have family ties)- but of course that's far more likely to be involved in a potential war!

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ChurchWindows · 18/01/2026 09:46

LancashireButterPie · 18/01/2026 09:17

I don't think Putin is our biggest threat right now.
I think the US wants us to believe that.

So does @Carla786 .

ChurchWindows · 18/01/2026 09:45

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 06:53

Come on, assessing the prospect of potential war & wondering if a move to a safer country is wise is a perfectly rational thing to do.

Different situation to lockdown where Covid was a global problem that could not be escaped by moving - so that's a false comparison. Thinking about what to do during a pandemic during the waiting period would have been quite rational though.

Much better to get on with real life, try to take real world action to improve things - how is moving to a safer place not a 'real world action'?

Edited

It's not an action most people will consider based on mithering on social media.

You're really worked up over this.

Touch grass.

BMW6 · 18/01/2026 09:33

Well I've just had a quick look at the requirements for emigrating to NZ...........you've got your work cut out for you to succeed OP!

It would be really difficult in the current climate. If the global geopolitical situation worsens it'll get much more difficult obviously.

Your idea of finding safety in NZ in the event of things getting worse is, frankly, la-la land fantasy.

LancashireButterPie · 18/01/2026 09:17

I don't think Putin is our biggest threat right now.
I think the US wants us to believe that.

Fearfulsaints · 18/01/2026 09:12

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:27

How safe is Chile? I know there are stable now but in fairly recent history they weren't.

I dont know. But they prided themselves on being less corrupt than other south american countries and felt very stable overall.

In terms of world peace i havent looked into it, they have a lot of ports, copper and trade with China so that could piss trump off

GeneralPeter · 18/01/2026 08:58

purpleflowergirl · 18/01/2026 07:49

Let’s get this straight, Putin hasn’t even been successful in the Ukraine! How, after spending all his country’s money, is he then meant to successfully attack the whole of the west! This is all power play by Trump! I’m not a genius but he just is doing all this to see how much he can get away with, no?

Putin will be more desperate (for a political win, which may be what saves him from his domestic enemies), with less to gain from maintaining good relations with Europe (that ship has sailed), facing a divided Nato (thanks to Trump) and a militarily feeble Europe (thanks to Europe).

The Russia threat is not an invention of Trump (in fact he’s often downplaying it, depending on the day of the week).

GeneralPeter · 18/01/2026 08:54

SevenYellowHammers · 17/01/2026 01:14

Stopped reading this at the words “Daily Mail”.

Why? Do you think they invented the speech?

romdowa · 18/01/2026 08:47

QPZM · 17/01/2026 00:53

Yeah but can you just turn up with your suitcase and family and tell them you're moving in?

Yes the UK and Ireland have a mutual agreement where citizens of each country have freedom of movement between the two. You could move to ireland today with no need for a visa

notimagain · 18/01/2026 08:45

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:49

The Falklands War was a completely different kettle of fish to an attack within Europe.

I missed that comment about NATO and the Falklands..so sorry for chipping in late.

As you say the attack in 82 wasn't in Europe and in the context of NATO that matters, it's all made clear in Article 6 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

That said the UK/HM Forces did get some sometimes very valuable support both during the conflict and afterwards from some NATO members...

Cheese55 · 18/01/2026 08:36

DotAndCarryOne2 · 18/01/2026 07:44

Maybe someone should have told Putin that before he invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine is not WW3.

SingedSoul · 18/01/2026 08:06

@Carla786 do you ever sleep? I've been learning a lot from your posts, so thanks 👍

Bikergran · 18/01/2026 08:03

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:18

I'm female & uni age.

Then you should have the sense to look at a map and see that with modern armaments nowhere is "safe", we live on a very small planet. It's not a question of being some kind of brave superhero, in times of war, ordinary people just have to do the best they can, in any way they can.

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:58

Yerdug · 17/01/2026 19:09

Yes, we are planning a move to Thailand (we will see how the first few years go), can both work remotely and with flexibility and off to scope schools and property in a few months. Not just the risk of war, its the UK overall, feeling we are paying tax to even breathe, amongst other major concerns

How safe is Thailand though?

It seems a really nice place in several ways but it is highly subject to military coups, the king wields such power criticising him can land someone in jail, and democracy has been seriously backsliding in the past few years.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/20/giant-rubber-ducks-become-symbol-of-thai-pro-democracy-rallies

I'm sure it's probably safe if you keep your head down...

Moreover, though, it's near China. If there were a war in Asia, Thailand might be dragged in some way or other.

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Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:54

NotMeAtAll · 17/01/2026 04:28

NATO nuclear weapons are not past their "sell by date" or unlikely to work. Nuclear weapons are very well understood, as is their maintenance. They're not just sitting there decaying.

Thank you, I thought that pp was hyperbolic.

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Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:53

Hufflemuff · 17/01/2026 04:51

Just to add... we wouldn't move just incase. It would be to avoid an actual war happening on our home front or conscription dragging away DH. The choice of India, USA or China is because this is where my companies other large subsidiaries are based- so i could work here and do the same job, for same pay (which would be extremely high vs cost of living in India) etc... it would be moving country semi-temporarily but not starting again from scratch. Could probably apply for a temporary work visa - that kind of thing.

But no
...

Not thought about it too much 😂

As pps have said, if war were imminent borders would be closed.

If you really want to avoid war, you'd need to move earlier.

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hahagogomomo · 18/01/2026 07:53

Nope, I’m banking on them nuking my city so I don’t need to deal with it! Definitely a different approach. No point worrying about these things

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:52

Ginmonkeyagain · 17/01/2026 07:15

Calm your heels. You didn't live through the cold war and it shows!

The Cold War did bring us close though. We look back & know we were OK but that was not a foregone conclusion, could easily have gone the other way.

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Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:51

MangaKanga · 17/01/2026 04:44

India supplied the biggest volunteer army in WWII. They will be involved. But unlike WWII, we won't have Russia, China or India on our side this time.

That's the problem here.

India are also periodically facing off with Pakistan, not to mention instability within the country for many reasons : rape, religious conflict etc

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Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:49

MangaKanga · 17/01/2026 04:42

The way the rest of NATO came to help out England during the Falklands War?

Lmao, how old are you?

The Falklands War was a completely different kettle of fish to an attack within Europe.

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purpleflowergirl · 18/01/2026 07:49

Let’s get this straight, Putin hasn’t even been successful in the Ukraine! How, after spending all his country’s money, is he then meant to successfully attack the whole of the west! This is all power play by Trump! I’m not a genius but he just is doing all this to see how much he can get away with, no?

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:49

babyproblems · 17/01/2026 06:41

Always makes me giggle that people often think they could just up and move to another country as if they were moving round the corner. You’d literally have to qualify for a visa, prove employment, financial stability etc. I can’t help but think there is a link between the ‘just up and move / we’re entitled to live wherever of course’ and the threat of Russian war..

Obviously this will be a planned relocation, not just 'up and move'.

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Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:45

Namechangedasouting987 · 17/01/2026 07:40

DH and I have talked about planning for an escalation in hostile attacks. Cyber attacks are very likely. So how for instance could we manage without gas and or electricity for long periods. Could we isolate our solar panels from the national grid to give us some power. Should we actually replace our electric car with petrol. Growing more of my own food. Etc etc.
Trump currently scares me more than Putin. I cannot imagine him leaving power after his term is up. And he can do so much damage, seemingly unchecked, in the 4 years he has left. The biggest power in the world is destabilising
Add to that climate change and i do think we are in an extinction event.
Having young adult DC makes the poss of a land war v scary.

These are really valuable points...

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DotAndCarryOne2 · 18/01/2026 07:44

Cheese55 · 18/01/2026 07:28

There isn't going to be a war like WW2 again. Technology has moved on and ground fighting won't happen on the scale needed to involve recruiting civilians against their will.

Maybe someone should have told Putin that before he invaded Ukraine.

Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:44

Lambington · 17/01/2026 08:08

Nato are currently moving troops into Greeenland to defend it against the USA. Goes to show you can never predict where conflict might spring up.
Also Iceland (which OP mentiobs as another potential "refuge") was a founding NATO member so would definitely be involved in any conflict with Russia or the US!

Agree, I've ruled out Iceland.

Poor Greenland had been peaceful for decades but tbf their strategic position does make them more likely to be a target.

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Carla786 · 18/01/2026 07:42

Taytocrisps · 17/01/2026 08:06

I live in the ROI and I don't take our neutrality for granted. Tyrants tend not to respect neutrality when it comes to land grabs. The only reason our neutrality remained intact during WWII is because Hitler's plan to invade the UK failed. And our proximity to England meant that the Germans dropped bombs along the east coat of Ireland, most notably the North Strand bombing. How the 1941 North Strand bombings wiped out an entire family I suggest you consider the proximity of Ireland to England before you make a move across the Irish sea. And you might also want to note that the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland occupy the same small island.

Thank you for this. I have ruled out Ireland.

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