NATO could fire the first shot against Russia in the face of Vlad’s escalating shadow war on Europe, a top admiral has warned.
Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of Nato’s Military Committee, said the alliance could be forced to strike pre-emptively – which would be a toughening of its current policy of waiting to react.
Chair of the NATO Military Committee Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said the alliance could strike pre-emptivelyCredit: AFP
Nato might adjust its policy of reactive action in the face of Putin’s shadow war on EuropeCredit: Getty
An unidentified drone that shut down Copenhagen airportCredit: X/@sentdefender
Putin has been terrorising Europe with and airspace violations for years, and his shadow operation is only ramping up.
Various fires and explosions – including a – have been pinned on the tyrant.
Recent cases also include the and a across the continent.
The surge in these interferences is forcing Nato to reassess its traditional position of reactive military action, Dragone told the Financial Times.
He said: “We are studying everything […] On cyber, we are kind of reactive.
“Being more aggressive or being proactive instead of reactive is something that we are thinking about.”
Dragone said that revenge cyber attacks would be the simplest option, because many Nato member nations hold the capabilities to launch them.
Retaliation for physical sabotage or drone incursions would be more complex – but not out of the question.
The admiral said that a “pre-emptive strike” could, under certain circumstances, be classified as a defensive action – though it is “further away from our normal way of thinking and behaviour”.
Dragone continued: “Being more aggressive compared with the aggressiveness of our counterpart could be an option.
“[The questions are] legal framework, jurisdictional framework, who is going to do this?”
Nato has already been urged to abandon its reactive stance by several member states – particularly those in eastern Europe which bear the brunt of Russia‘s aggression.
One Baltic diplomat told the FT: “If all we do is continue being reactive, we just invite Russia to keep trying, keep hurting us.
“Hybrid warfare is asymmetric — it costs them little, and us a lot. We need to be more inventive.”
Putin has been increasing his shadow war against Europe with a campaign of sabotage and cyber attacksCredit: Getty
Addressing the possibility of a more proactive Nato, Denis Gonchar, Russia‘s ambassador to Belgium, accused the alliance of “intimidating its population with the Kremlin’s non-existent plans to attack”.
He added the claim that member states had begun “preparing for a major war with Russia”.
Meanwhile, talks continue in Florida between high-level diplomats from the US and Ukraine with a view to hammering out a peace deal.
Both sides said on Sunday the negotiations had been productive, and Marco Rubio said he was hopeful of further progress.
Speaking after the talks, Rubio said: “We continue to be realistic about how difficult this is, but optimistic, particularly given the fact that as we’ve made progress, I think there is a shared vision here that this is not just about ending the war.
“It is about securing Ukraine’s future, a future that we hope will be more prosperous than it’s ever been.
“There’s more work to be done. This is delicate.
A Royal Navy warship shadowing two Russian vessels in the English Channel last monthCredit: Royal Navy
Cables in the Baltic Sea have been severed – and Russia has been getting the blameCredit: EPA
“There are a lot of moving parts, and obviously there’s another party involved here.
“That will have to be a part of the equation, and that will continue later this week, when Mr Witkoff travels to Moscow.”
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, is leaving today for Russia, where he is expected to meet his counterparts later in the week.
A renewed push for peace began with the US and Russia drawing up a blueprint for peace – though this was roundly criticised for favouring Putin’s aims.
After that, European leaders in Geneva helped draft a counter proposal, and the US said it was willing to make changes to the terms.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expected the results of the Geneva meetings to be “hammered out” in Florida.
Kyiv is facing – all while Zelensky finds himself in the most difficult political and military situation.
Sunday’s meeting was notably the first without Zelensky’s powerful chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who .
Yermak had been the leading negotiator – and enforcer – for Kyiv since the start of the war in 2022.
Will Trump bring peace in Ukraine?
By Jerome Starkey, Defence Editor
DONALD Trump is not a details man. He wants a deal at any price (as long as he is not paying for it) to end the war in Ukraine.
He doesn’t seem to care if it hobbles Ukraine, humiliates Europe and rewards Russian aggression.
He doesn’t seem to care if it is drafted by Russia, tramples on Nato and encourages tyrants everywhere to take neighbouring land by force. (Taiwan beware).
Those are details. Minor details. Unless, of course, you are Europe or Ukraine. In which case they are fundamental.
Any sane person who understands war wants a ceasefire yesterday.
But how this war ends matters. Both for Ukraine’s survival and to avoid future war in Europe.
Russia must be deterred. It must pay a price for this war and know the bill for the next would be higher.
We should take it with a pinch of salt when US officials say the deal is done, save for some “minor details”.
These minor details are “major issues” in the words of Finland’s President Alex Stubb. President Zelensky said yesterday there is still “much work” to do.
In fact, these minor details are 44,000 square miles – some 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory – an area the size of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.
They are questions like who controls Crimea, the Donbas and occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
They are questions like who guarantees Ukraine’s security against a third Russian invasion.
Ukraine wants peace more than anyone. But not peace at any price. It wants a peace that lasts. Russia wants a conquest.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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