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According to AnewZ, Pentagon officials have asked several NATO countries in recent weeks to soften their rhetoric about the threat posed by Russia. Four people familiar with the matter said such statements could undermine European security.
Sources who spoke anonymously said calls for restraint in public statements were delivered to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. It was unclear whether the messages, conveyed in bilateral meetings, were also directed at other European governments.
The U.S. requests come as the Trump administration has renewed its push for a negotiated end to the full-scale war in Ukraine, which has entered its fifth year. The latest initiative includes incentives for Russia, such as easing sanctions, and pressure on Ukraine to stop attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
A Pentagon official responded to a request for comment: “Private conversations among allies are private conversations, so we will not comment on these claims.”
One source said remarks by European leaders that Russia was in a difficult position and was taking increasingly desperate steps as its invasion of Ukraine stalled were among the statements that drew U.S. officials’ attention.
Sources said Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s policy chief and a key figure in an ongoing review of U.S. troop levels in Europe, was among the officials who delivered the message. Reuters could not determine which other officials took part. The sources — three European officials and one U.S. official — did not say the recommendations were made in a confrontational setting.
U.S. officials urged restraint in public statements
The U.S. messages reflect debate within NATO over how to present Russia’s increasingly assertive behavior to the public. Some Western officials say highlighting the threat from Moscow could serve the Kremlin’s interests by spreading fear and weakening support for Ukraine.
Others believe European governments should clearly tell voters that sacrifices and resources are needed to contain Moscow. They say this is particularly important as Russia appears to be stepping up a covert campaign of sabotage across the continent. Russia has denied conducting such a campaign.
One person familiar with the matter told Reuters that Colby recently told an official from one of the Baltic states there should be no “provocative steps” against the Russians. The person said Colby cited European officials’ public remarks that Russia was “like a cornered rat” as an example of unhelpful rhetoric.
It was unclear which specific statement Colby was referring to. However, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal called Putin a “cornered rat” in late September and said Russia was resorting to sabotage in Europe as it became increasingly bogged down in Ukraine.
Another European official described the Pentagon’s recent private messages as follows: “We are helping you. The Americans are on your side. Just don’t make noise. Don’t make a fuss.”
At a separate recent meeting between the Pentagon and an Estonian delegation, officials also urged restraint in communications. A person briefed on the meeting said it was not clear whether Pentagon officials had complained about any specific statement.
The defense ministries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia did not respond to requests for comment. NATO declined to comment.
Security concerns grow in Europe
A European official described the Pentagon’s politely delivered advice as perplexing. The person said Baltic intelligence services had consistently assessed in recent months that the likelihood of Russia testing NATO’s collective defense mechanism was low. Other NATO intelligence services, however, have publicly warned that Russia could sharply expand its sabotage campaign in the near future.
The Pentagon’s approach to NATO officials comes at a tense time for European security. Western intelligence officials say Moscow has recently stepped up a campaign of attacks against NATO countries, although responsibility has not been officially confirmed.
On Wednesday, German prosecutors said two Belarusian nationals had been detained on suspicion of planning to set fire to a building or critical infrastructure site in the Nuremberg area. In September, the German government accused Russia of an unsuccessful drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport; Moscow denied the accusation.
At the same time, U.S. officials are discussing potential business deals with Russia as part of the Trump administration’s effort to achieve peace in Ukraine. The efforts have drawn mixed reactions from European officials, many of whom want the Kremlin’s economic isolation to continue.
Pentagon planners are also reviewing Washington’s military presence in Europe, a process that could lead to a sharp reduction in the number of U.S. troops on the continent. U.S. officials have said NATO members in Europe should take greater responsibility for their own defense, while Washington focuses on threats in the Middle East, Latin America and East Asia.
