Pentagon officials have privately urged several European NATO allies, including Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, to moderate their public statements about the threat posed by Russia, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The requests were conveyed during bilateral meetings in recent weeks, with US officials arguing that some remarks by European leaders could undermine security in the region, the sources said.
Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby was among the officials who delivered the message, according to the sources. One said Colby had advised a Baltic official against “poking” Russia, citing public comments portraying Moscow as being “cornered like a rat”.
It was not clear which specific remarks Colby was referring to. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, however, described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “rat in a corner” in late September, suggesting that Russia was turning to sabotage in Europe as its war in Ukraine became increasingly bogged down.
The reported requests reflect a debate within NATO over how governments should publicly address the Russian threat. Some Western officials argue that emphasising the danger posed by Moscow could play into the Kremlin’s hands by spreading fear and weakening support for Ukraine.
Others say European governments should speak openly about the threat to explain the need for greater defence spending and other security measures to their electorates, particularly amid concerns about an intensifying Russian campaign of sabotage across Europe. Moscow has denied pursuing such a campaign.
A Pentagon official declined to comment on the reported discussions, saying: “Private conversations among allies are just that, so we will not comment on these allegations.”
The messages come as the Trump administration renews efforts to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and reviews the deployment of US forces in Europe.
