Pentagon officials are reportedly asking European leaders — especially those from front-line countries like Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — to lower the volume on their rhetoric against Russia.
U.S. defense officials said aggressive statements from NATO allies could undermine security and escalate tensions across Europe.
The request coincides with the Trump administration’s efforts to restart negotiations for an end to the war in Ukraine, according to The Independent, an online British newspaper.
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A Pentagon official said comments from European officials about Russia “being cornered like a rat” in Ukraine were among the taunts that were unhelpful for negotiators seeking a settlement.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michael described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “rat in a corner” in September.
Mr. Michael said Russia seemed to be turning to sabotage in Europe after using most of its resources in Ukraine.
The prime minister told Delfi, an Estonian digital newspaper, that “flattering dictators will only bring humiliation.”
Mr. Michael added, “Estonia, like other Baltic states, is clear about the threat from Russia. … Putin is a dictator who kills women and children.”
The prime minister said no member of the Trump administration has asked him to stop making anti-Russia comments. He told Delfi that the subject never came up in Ankara, Turkey, over the summer when he met Trump at the NATO summit.
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