Pentagon officials have in recent weeks asked several NATO countries to tone down their rhetoric regarding the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements by European leaders and officials have undermined continental security, Reuters reported on Friday, citing four people familiar with the matter.
Source: Reuters
Among the nations that received the messages are Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the people said. The messages were delivered in bilateral meetings, and it was not clear whether other European governments received them as well. The sources, who include three European officials and one US official, spoke on condition of anonymity and none suggested the advice was given in a confrontational manner.
The US requests come as the Trump administration restarts an effort to press for a negotiated end to Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, now well into its fifth year. The latest push has blended incentives for Russia, including sanctions relief, with pressure on Ukraine to halt its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
No 'poking' of Russia, Colby said
Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a key figure in an ongoing review of US troop levels in Europe, was one of the officials delivering the message, the people said. One person familiar with the matter told Reuters that Colby told a Baltic official recently that there should be no 'poking' directed at the Russians, and pointed to Europeans publicly suggesting that Russia was 'cornered like a rat' as an example of unhelpful rhetoric.
It was not clear what specific statement Colby was referring to. However, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal referred to President Vladimir Putin as a 'rat in a corner' in late September, suggesting the Russian leader was resorting to sabotage efforts in Europe as Russia had become increasingly bogged down in Ukraine.
A separate European official described the Pentagon's private messaging this way: 'We are helping you. The Americans are there. Just don't be loud. Don't make noise.' In a separate recent meeting, the Pentagon urged an Estonian delegation to be 'measured' in its communications, according to a person briefed on the encounter.
Asked for comment, a Pentagon official said: 'Private conversations among allies are just that, so we will not comment on these allegations.' The defence ministries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia did not respond to requests for comment, while NATO declined to comment.
A debate inside NATO over how to talk about Russia
The US messages reflect a debate within NATO over how to publicly address the threat of an increasingly assertive Russia. Some Western officials argue that emphasising the threat could play into the Kremlin's hands, which they say seeks to sow fear and undermine support for Ukraine. Others argue European governments must be transparent so their electorates accept that sacrifice and resources are needed to keep Moscow at bay, especially as Russia appears to accelerate a covert campaign of sabotage across the continent. Russia has denied pursuing such a campaign.
One European official said the Pentagon's advice, while cordial, was baffling, given that intelligence services in the Baltic states have in recent months consistently played down the probability of Russia testing NATO's mutual defence provisions. Other NATO intelligence services, by contrast, have publicly warned that Russia could dramatically ramp up its sabotage campaign in the near future.
The messages come at a fraught time for European security. On Wednesday, German prosecutors said two Belarusians were arrested for allegedly 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, allegations Moscow has denied.
At the same time, US officials have been discussing potential business deals with Russia as part of the Trump administration's push for peace in Ukraine, efforts that have drawn mixed reactions from European officials, many of whom favour the Kremlin's continued economic isolation. Pentagon planners are also reviewing Washington's force posture in Europe, a process that could see a sharp drawdown in America's troop presence on the continent. US officials have said European NATO members need to assume more responsibility for their own defence, particularly as the US focuses on threats in the Middle East, Latin America and East Asia.