NATO Commander Warns Russia Against any Attack on Alliance

NATO's top military commander warned Russia on Monday that any attack on alliance territory would be met with a forceful response, saying NATO would seek to make an assault “utterly futile.”

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich outlines the alliance's strategy for deterring and responding to a potential attack. [Photo: U.S. European Command]

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, US Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, outlined what he called the alliance's “theory of victory.”

He said NATO would block, blunt and break any attack against a member state.

“If someone is foolish enough to attack us, we will fight,” Grynkewich said.

“We will stop the attack and deny them the ability to achieve their objectives, whatever those might be.”

He added that NATO's response could extend beyond the forces directly involved in an attack to include the systems supporting, sustaining and controlling them.

Grynkewich did not explicitly name Russia during his speech, but his remarks came amid heightened tensions between Moscow and European governments. Several European countries have accused Russia of intensifying sabotage operations, drone incursions and cyberattacks.

Moscow has rejected various Western allegations of hostile activity.

Russia also warned last month that it could use nuclear weapons if NATO attempted to isolate its Kaliningrad exclave, according to the report.

NATO's 2022 Strategic Concept identifies Russia as the alliance's most significant and direct threat to security. Grynkewich's remarks underscored the alliance's emphasis on deterrence and its commitment to defending all member states.

He said NATO would seek to defeat an attack by targeting not only the attacking forces but also the military systems enabling them to operate.