Pentagon privately urged Baltic states to soften Russia rhetoric, Reuters reports

Pentagon officials privately urged Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to tone down their public statements about the Russian threat, Reuters reported on 30 October, citing four people familiar with the discussions.

The messages were delivered during bilateral meetings and described as cordial rather than confrontational. It remains unclear whether Washington sent similar signals to other European governments.

Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, who is also involved in a review of US troop levels in Europe, was among those delivering the message. One person familiar with the discussions said Colby told a Baltic official there should be no "poking" directed at Russia, citing comments describing Moscow as "cornered like a rat" as an example of unhelpful rhetoric.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal used a similar phrase in late September, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a "rat in a corner" while discussing alleged sabotage efforts in Europe. The wire does not confirm whether Michal's remarks were the specific comments Colby had in mind.

In a separate meeting, Pentagon officials urged an Estonian delegation to be "measured" in its communications. One European official summarised the US message as: "We are helping you. The Americans are there. Just don't be loud. Don't make noise."

The guidance comes as the Trump administration seeks to revive negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine and as Western intelligence officials warn of an intensifying Russian campaign of covert attacks across Europe — including an alleged plot near Nuremberg and an alleged drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport, both attributed by Berlin to Russia, which denies involvement.