Pentagon officials have asked several NATO countries to tone down their public rhetoric about the threat from Russia, saying some statements by European leaders undermined the continent's security. Reuters reported, citing four people familiar with the discussions.
Among the countries that received similar messages are Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The instructions were given during bilateral meetings. It is unclear whether the same recommendation was made to other European governments.
„Don't make a fuss“
A Pentagon official declined to confirm the information. „Private conversations between allies are like that, so we won't comment on these allegations,“ he said.
According to one of the European officials, the message from the US side was formulated as follows: „We are helping you. The Americans are there. Just don't be noisy. Don't make a fuss.“ In a separate meeting, the Pentagon urged the Estonian delegation to be „restrained“ in his communications, without specifying the specific statement that caused Washington's displeasure.
Elbridge Colby, head of the Pentagon's political department and a key figure in the review of the US military presence in Europe, was among the representatives who delivered the message, the sources said.
According to one of them, Colby told a Baltic representative that there should be no "provocations" towards Russia. An example of an inappropriate tone was the public statement that Moscow was "cornered like a rat". It is not clear which specific remark the US representative had in mind.
Differences in NATO
In late September, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal described Vladimir Putin as a "cornered rat", linking Russian policy to alleged sabotage in Europe. Moscow denies running such a campaign.
There are differences within NATO over how to publicly present the Russian threat. Some Western officials believe that constantly emphasizing the risk may serve the Kremlin's goals, which they say is seeking to spread fear and weaken support for Ukraine.
Other European governments insist that societies be informed of the danger to explain the need for greater defense spending and continued support for Kiev.
Pressure for negotiations and troop reviews
The American messages come as the Donald Trump administration renews efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. The approach includes discussing incentives for Russia, including easing sanctions, as well as pressuring Kiev to end attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
At the same time, the Pentagon is reviewing the US military posture in Europe. The process could lead to a significant reduction in the US military presence on the continent. Washington is pushing European allies to take greater responsibility for their own defense, while the US is directing more resources to the Middle East, Latin America and East Asia.
The talks are taking place against the backdrop of warnings from Western intelligence agencies about increased Russian sabotage activities in NATO countries. German prosecutors announced the detention of two Belarusians on suspicion of preparing an arson attack in the Nuremberg area. In September, the German government also accused Russia of an attempted drone attack on Leipzig/Halle airport. Moscow denied the accusations.
Sources: reuters.com, marketscreener.com, lbcgroup.tv