WW3 fears explode as NATO discusses ‘pre-emptive strikes’ on Russia | UK | News | EUROtoday

NATO is actively contemplating pre-emptive strikes towards Russia in response to Moscow’s escalating sabotage and cyber marketing campaign throughout Europe, the alliance’s most senior army officer has mentioned. Tensions between NATO and the Kremlin have intensified amid a surge in hybrid threats.

These embrace the severing of two undersea cables within the Baltic Sea, drone incursions over Poland and Germany, arson at Ukrainian-linked websites within the UK, and widespread cyber intrusions. A GLOBSEC report recognized greater than 110 sabotage incidents in Europe from January 2022 to July 2025, with Poland and France most affected.

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, mentioned: “We are studying everything.” He instructed the Financial Times on Monday: “On cyber, we are kind of reactive. Being more aggressive or being proactive instead of reactive is something that we are thinking about.”

Mr Dragone mentioned a pre-emptive strike might, in sure instances, qualify as defensive motion, though it lies “further away from our normal way of thinking and behaviour”. He highlighted challenges together with “legal framework, jurisdictional framework” however famous cyber retaliation as a less complicated choice, given NATO members’ capabilities.

Russia condemned the remarks as escalatory. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned they represented “an extremely irresponsible step” indicating NATO’s “readiness to continue moving towards escalation” and a “deliberate attempt to undermine efforts to overcome the Ukrainian crisis”.

Russia’s ambassador to Belgium, Denis Gonchar, mentioned NATO was “preparing for a major war with Russia” and “intimidating its population with the Kremlin’s non-existent plans to attack the alliance countries”.

The rhetoric coincides with US-led peace efforts in Ukraine. President Donald Trump mentioned on December 1 that talks have been “going along well” after “productive” conferences in Florida on November 30–December 1 with Ukrainian officers.

US particular envoy Steve Witkoff is assembly President Vladimir Putin in Moscow immediately, December 2, to debate a revised peace framework.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has known as territorial calls for the “toughest part” of any deal, with Russia holding round 19 % of Ukrainian land.

Eastern NATO allies have urged a shift from “reactivity”. One Baltic diplomat mentioned: “If all we do is continue being reactive, we just invite Russia to keep trying, keep hurting us. Hybrid warfare is asymmetric — it costs them little, and us a lot. We need to be more inventive.”

NATO’s doctrine stays defensive and reactive, however Mr Dragone’s feedback sign inside debate on doctrinal change amid persistent threats.