TALLINN – NATO: Russia aims to divide the alliance and weaken support for Ukraine

TALLINN – A senior NATO commander has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is becoming increasingly willing to take risks and could undertake more dangerous actions as the war in Ukraine continues, AP reported.

During a security conference in Tallinn, Estonia, John Stringer, NATO’s deputy commander in Europe, said Russia is trying to divide NATO countries and weaken Western support for Ukraine.

He warned that NATO must be careful not to overreact, as an excessive reaction could be precisely what Moscow wants.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and French President Emmanuel Macron have warned that Russia could use drone or missile attacks against NATO countries and then present them as accidents.

However, British, Baltic officials and the U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said there are currently no signs that Putin is seeking a direct military confrontation with NATO.

European countries have recorded cases of Russian drones, sabotage, cyberattacks, arson and covert operations, for which Russia has been blamed by Western authorities.

According to AP, the number of suspected incidents in this campaign has risen from 59 in March 2025 to more than 210 incidents, including sabotage and cyberattacks.

Stringer said some Russian drones may enter NATO airspace also due to electronic interference, which causes them to lose direction during the war against Ukraine.

But, according to him, it is difficult to determine whether an incident is accidental or intentional.

Estonia and the other Baltic countries consider the Russian threat serious, but said a direct military attack on a NATO country currently looks unlikely, since Russian forces are engaged in Ukraine and such an attack would bring a NATO response.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said allies must be prepared and strong, so that Russia knows an attack on them would bring a harsh response.

Source: AP