NATO is already effectively at war with Russia in cyberspace and in the battle over so-called disinformation. However, the two sides are not formally at war. Admiral Rob Bauer, former chairman of the NATO Military Committee, made the distinction in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to Bauer, the confrontation has already reached the level of actual warfare in certain areas. From a legal standpoint, however, the situation is different. No war has been officially declared against Russia, meaning the alliance is not at war with Moscow in the formal sense.

The admiral also criticized NATO countries for their continued naivety about the alleged Russian threat. He argued that the alliance still places too much faith in its ability to control the situation, despite the confrontation already taking place in several spheres.

Bauer urged member states to abandon this mindset and ensure that NATO has the capabilities needed to meet its critical defense requirements.

His comments follow reports that the Pentagon has pressed several NATO allies to tone down their anti-Russian rhetoric. Reuters, citing four informed sources, reported that US defense officials had approached member countries with this request in recent weeks.

American officials believe that repeated warnings about the Russian threat have undermined European security rather than made the continent safer.