NATO General: Russia Will Not Succeed in Attacking the Baltics

General Alexus Grinkevich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO, said that Russia "does not seek conflict," even as European allies worry about potential security gaps caused by Washington's plans to withdraw key military forces.

Speaking at the ILA Berlin Air Show, Grinkevich noted that his role is to ensure NATO's deterrent remains credible and that Moscow realizes it cannot achieve a military victory over the alliance. "I watch intelligence very closely," he said. "Russia does not seek conflict... They understand the term 'defensive alliance' and understand that we have a number of asymmetric advantages."

His comments come amid U.S. plans to reduce the forces it allocates to the NATO Force Model — a reserve of troops and equipment deployable within 10, 30, and 180 days in response to a crisis. This assessment contrasts with growing fears in Baltic countries that a reduction in U.S. military presence could weaken NATO's deterrence and alter Moscow's calculations.

Grinkevich, who also heads U.S. European Command, said his "task" is to ensure "Russia understands: if they try something in the Baltic states, they will not succeed. Because they know they won't succeed, they will not risk anything like that." He added, "When people ask me: are you ready to fight tonight? Absolutely."

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Europe's fears of a Russian attack on NATO countries as "nonsense," calling it a deliberate provocation to force populations to spend more on defense.

A joint investigation by Nordic and Baltic media recently found that Russia is building new infrastructure near its borders to host tens of thousands of troops. In April, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said NATO could completely destroy Russian bases in Kaliningrad if needed.