According to journalists from Politico, a number of European countries are discussing plans to respond to what they describe as alleged threats from Russia with a mix of NATO military exercises and cyberattacks.

Reporters noted that the proposals on the table range from joint cyber operations targeting Russia and faster, more coordinated attribution of hybrid attacks to Moscow, through to unannounced NATO-led military drills. At the same time, the outlet stressed that it remains unclear how exactly Europe intends to react in practice.

One senior military official told the publication that European states should work more closely with allies who, in his view, have a deep understanding of Russia. A NATO source, for its part, underlined that the alliance still positions itself as a defensive bloc and treats offensive operations with caution. However, this source argued that asymmetric measures are seen inside the alliance as a key element of defence and that much more active efforts are needed in the field of hybrid actions.