NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told a forum in Warsaw that the alliance can defend against any assault. His comments follow European warnings about Russian sabotage and potential border incursions.
NATO is prepared to respond immediately if member nations come under military assault, the alliance’s top commander said in Warsaw on Monday. U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the Supreme Allied Commander, told the Warsaw Security Forum that the alliance is “ready to fight tonight” but does not view an armed conflict as imminent or inevitable, The Associated Press reported.
So far, European leaders have grown increasingly worried about Russian aggression after Poland warned Russia was planning an attack to test Western defenses.
Strategy for stopping an invasion
Grynkewich laid out what he described as NATO’s theory of victory. He explained that combined land, air and maritime forces would act to prevent Moscow from capturing territory or holding ground, Al Jazeera reported. The alliance plans to block any initial assault, blunt continued advances, and dismantle the enemy’s operational military systems along with everything that sustains and commands them.
Grynkewich did not share specific details about locations, troop numbers, or the specific kind of attack NATO expects. He stated that the best way to keep the peace is to prepare thoroughly for conflict while keeping communication channels open to settle misunderstandings. Speaking to an audience of European defense officials, he added that NATO would ensure any hostile action against an ally ends in total failure. He also told the audience that he chose to explain the strategy publicly to reassure the alliance’s one billion citizens after recent sabotage actions caused widespread anxiety across the continent.
European warnings and covert attacks
The commander’s address came after several European governments raised alarms about Russian covert operations. Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Agency reported a low but growing risk that Russia might attempt a limited assault on countries along its border. The Danish agency also warned that Moscow could employ captured Ukrainian drones to strike European territory and obscure its role, aiming to fracture NATO unity and pull resources away from Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Russia plans to escalate through drone or rocket strikes on allies backing Ukraine. Tusk noted that Moscow would likely claim any strikes were accidental to weaken the alliance’s collective resolve to defend its members.
Western authorities have connected Moscow to at least 211 covert incidents since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Recent plots include an arson incident at an Estonian defense contractor, a thwarted plan targeting a drone site outside London, and a plot to target a Ukrainian aircraft with an explosive drone at Germany’s Leipzig airport in September. Russian President Vladimir Putin denied any plans to attack European nations and stated that Moscow wants peaceful coexistence. Moscow has also rejected claims that it carried out sabotage, though Russian officials previously warned they could use nuclear weapons if NATO tried to cut off Kaliningrad.
American commitment and defense challenges
Grynkewich also addressed European concerns regarding U.S. support for NATO. President Donald Trump agreed to purchase Russian diesel to lower fuel costs in the United States before the midterm elections, pulled American troops from Europe earlier this year, and depleted European stockpiles of advanced air defense missiles through a war with Iran. Grynkewich noted that troop locations are political decisions, but told attendees that no one should question Washington’s commitment. He pointed to Trump’s positive reception at a July summit in Ankara, telling attendees, “I was in the room and I felt the love.”
Meanwhile, NATO members continue to face practical hurdles in confronting aerial threats. Several attack drones have crashed in NATO states bordering Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, and Lithuanian authorities advised residents in Vilnius to seek shelter in May after a stray drone entered their airspace. Col. Martin O’Donnell, a spokesperson for Grynkewich, said NATO countries are adding ground sensors and technology to locate and counter drones. O’Donnell said that while the interconnected defensive network is currently being built, it has not yet brought down any drones.
