A military conflict between Russia and NATO countries is not inevitable, but the Alliance must be prepared for such a scenario. This was stated by NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexis Grinkevičius, after a meeting with Latvian President Edgars Rinkėvičs.
“I do not believe that conflict is inevitable. We just need to ensure that we are prepared for it,“ said Grinkevičius, quoted by Latvian public media outlet LSM. He said Russia remains a threat, but preparation and resilience can help prevent war.
“By being strong and preparing for conflict, we can ensure that it never happens,“ Grinkevičius said.Call for higher readiness
The US general described the approach as “peace through strength” and welcomed Latvia's efforts to strengthen its defense and resilience. According to LSM, the country plans to allocate 5% of its gross domestic product to defense to meet its capability goals.
Grinkevičius pointed out that the experience of Latvia and other countries on NATO's eastern flank can be useful in strengthening institutions and society against various threats. He did not specify a specific timeframe for when a conflict could break out, nor did he say that one was imminent.
Previous warnings and assessments
Earlier, in an interview with the German magazine “Spiegel“, Grinkevich said that he was convinced that Russia would not launch a large-scale conventional attack on Europe. He linked the Russian strategy to the use of sabotage and other actions below the threshold of open military conflict.
The general has also said that he does not consider a conflict with NATO to be inevitable or imminent. On October 12 in Warsaw, he presented a concept for the Alliance's response to an attack on its member state. The plan was described in three actions – first to block the attack, then to weaken the enemy's ability to continue the offensive and finally to defeat the forces carrying it out.
Grinkevich stressed that NATO is a defensive alliance and does not seek war, but will respond if attacked. According to him, it is precisely the clear readiness for defense that is among the means that can deter Moscow from a direct clash with the Alliance.
Sources: lsm.lv, apnews.com