Pentagon Tells NATO: Keep Russia Warnings Quiet

Pentagon officials have asked Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to soften public statements about Russia as Washington reviews its troop presence in Europe and presses European NATO members to take on more responsibility for defence. Officials raised the requests in bilateral meetings. It’s unclear whether other European governments received them.

Keep the warnings measured

Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon policy chief and head of its policy directorate, was among the U.S. officials who delivered the message. One source said Colby told a Baltic official there should be no “poking” directed at Russia, referring to comments that described Russia as “cornered like a rat.” The source didn’t identify the specific statement. In late September, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal called Putin a “rat in a corner” and suggested Russia was resorting to sabotage in Europe as it became increasingly bogged down in Ukraine.

At another recent meeting, Pentagon officials urged an Estonian delegation to be “measured” in its communications. A person briefed on the encounter said officials didn’t object to a particular statement; another account said they urged “restraint.” A Pentagon official declined to discuss the reports: “Private conversations among allies are just that, so we will not comment on these allegations.”

One European official put the message plainly: “We are helping you. The Americans are there. Just don’t be loud. Don’t make noise.” Another said the advice was baffling because Baltic intelligence services had consistently played down the likelihood of Russia testing NATO’s mutual-defence provisions in recent months. Other NATO intelligence services have publicly warned that Russia could sharply increase sabotage soon.

The dispute centres on how governments should talk to voters about risk, resources and sacrifice. Some Western officials say stressing the threat could help the Kremlin sow fear and weaken support for Ukraine. Others argue European governments need to be transparent about what keeping Moscow at bay will require. Russia denies pursuing a sabotage campaign; Western intelligence officials say Moscow has recently intensified deniable attacks on NATO countries.

Troops, deals and the war

The rhetoric dispute comes as the Trump administration renews efforts to negotiate an end to the full-scale war in Ukraine. The effort pairs incentives for Russia, including sanctions relief, with pressure on Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. U.S. officials have also discussed potential business deals with Russia, drawing mixed reactions from European officials, many of whom back continued economic isolation of the Kremlin.

Pentagon planners are reviewing Washington’s force posture in Europe, a process that could lead to a sharp reduction in U.S. troop numbers on the continent. U.S. officials say European NATO members need to take more responsibility for their own defence as the United States focuses on threats in the Middle East, Latin America and East Asia. The review puts Europe’s military posture—and who pays for it—on the table while governments argue over how loudly to describe the threat.

People caught between the lines

On Wednesday, German prosecutors said they had arrested two Belarusians on suspicion of planning to set fire to a building or critical infrastructure facility in the Nuremberg area. In September, the German government blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport; Moscow denied the allegation. Meduza reported that someone found a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig Airport near a Ukrainian cargo plane. NATO declined to comment, and the defence ministries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, an aid convoy headed toward the Russian-held Ukrainian town of Oleshky on Friday, carrying food, medical supplies and other items after weeks of efforts to organise relief for residents. Ukraine human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets and Russian counterpart Yana Lantratova met at night, as video images released by Russian state television channel Vesti showed. Lantratova said 25 buses with at least 750 seats were ready to evacuate people seeking to leave, including pets. Russian newswires quoted her saying Moscow and Kyiv were adhering to their agreements and a ceasefire was holding to allow aid into the town. Both commissioners and the U.S. side helped mediate it. Lantratova said two people were killed in the demining effort. Official statements keep circling around military posture and state assurances; the convoy carries the supplies people in Oleshky need.