NATO commander warns any attack on alliance would be ‘utterly futile’

NATO’s top military commander in Europe warned Monday that the alliance would defeat any attack on its territory, seeking to reassure member states amid heightened concern over potential Russian military and “hybrid” operations.

US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich told the Warsaw Security Forum that NATO would first block and blunt an assault, prevent an enemy advance and, if necessary, destroy the forces and wider military system supporting it.

“We will, in short, ensure any attack, against any ally, proves utterly futile,” Grynkewich said. He did not name Russia directly, but his comments came as European governments have accused Moscow of sabotage, drone incursions and cyberattacks. Russia has denied involvement in sabotage and other hybrid operations.

Grynkewich emphasized that NATO is a defensive alliance and said he did not believe conflict was imminent or inevitable. He argued that preparing for war, while maintaining channels of communication to resolve misunderstandings, was the most effective way to preserve peace.

The commander said he spoke publicly because reports of sabotage and arson had made people across the alliance nervous. He also sought to reassure NATO’s roughly one billion citizens that the alliance understands how it would respond to an attack.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia does not plan to attack a European country and wants peaceful coexistence. European leaders remain wary, citing Moscow’s statements before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.