United States: the Pentagon invites Europeans to moderate their discourse on Russia

In recent weeks, Pentagon officials have 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 the continent's security, four people familiar with the matter said.

Among the countries that received messages urging them to exercise restraint in their public statements were Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It is unclear whether these messages, transmitted during bilateral meetings, were relayed to other European governments.

Pressure for a negotiated outcome to the war

The U.S. demands come as the Trump administration revives efforts to push for a negotiated outcome to the full-scale war in Ukraine, now entering its fifth year. This latest initiative combines incentives for Russia – including sanctions relief – and pressure on Ukraine to end its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Asked about this, a Pentagon official said that “private conversations between allies remain confidential. We will therefore not make any comment on these allegations.” Among the comments that caught the attention of U.S. officials were remarks by European leaders that Russia was being cornered and resorting to increasingly desperate measures as its invasion of Ukraine stalled, one of these sources said.

Elbridge Colby, head of policy at the Pentagon, was among the American officials who conveyed this message, these sources said. Reuters could not determine which other officials were involved. None of these sources, which include three European officials and a US official, suggested that the recommendation was made in a confrontational manner.

A secret campaign of sabotage

The U.S. messages reflect a debate within NATO over how to publicly address the threat posed by an increasingly assertive Russia. Some Western officials have argued that emphasizing the threat posed by Moscow could play into the hands of the Kremlin, which they say is seeking to sow fear and undermine support for Ukraine.

Others say European governments need to be transparent to show their voters that sacrifices and resources are needed to keep Moscow at bay. This is especially true as Russia appears to be intensifying a covert campaign of sabotage across the continent. Russia has denied carrying out such a campaign.

One of the sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Elbridge Colby had recently told a Baltic official that the Russians should not be “titillated”. This person said that Elbridge Colby cited as an example of counterproductive rhetoric the Europeans publicly suggesting that Russia was being "cornered like a rat."

Pentagon urges Estonia to show restraint

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal called Putin a “cornered rat” in late September, suggesting that the Russian leader was resorting to sabotage actions in Europe as Russia became increasingly bogged down in Ukraine. “We help you. The Americans are there,” said another European official, describing private messages recently transmitted by the Pentagon. “But don’t make any noise. Don’t stand out.”

At another recent meeting, the Pentagon urged an Estonian delegation to exercise “moderation” in its communications, according to a source briefed on the meeting, although the source did not specify whether Pentagon officials had complained about a particular statement. The defense ministries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia did not respond to requests for comment, while NATO declined to comment.

One of the European officials said the Pentagon's advice, while cordial, was disconcerting, given that Baltic state intelligence services have in recent months repeatedly downplayed the likelihood that Russia would test NATO's mutual defense arrangements. Other NATO intelligence services, on the other hand, have publicly warned that Russia could significantly intensify its sabotage campaign in the near future.