Ex-NATO commander Scaparrotti says Russia is already at war with the alliance
Retired US general Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO's top commander in Europe from 2016 to 2019, told an Atlantic Council event that Russia's hybrid activities amount to war with NATO today. The remarks come amid US–Europe strain over Ukraine.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Retired four-star general Curtis Scaparrotti, a former Supreme Allied Commander Europe who also led US forces in Europe, said Russia is already at war with NATO. Evening StandardN “Russia is already at war with Nato, a former top commander of the military alliance has said amid transatlantic tensions over Ukraine.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “Retired four-star general Curtis Scaparrotti, who previously served as head of US forces in Europe” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2He spoke at an Atlantic Council think-tank event in Washington, DC, and served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe from 2016 to 2019. Evening StandardN “Mr Scaparrotti’s comments at an Atlantic Council think-tank event in Washington, DC” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “who served as Nato's Supreme Allied Commander Europe from 2016 to 2019” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2Referring to Russian doctrine, he said Moscow sees no line between peace and war, and treats hybrid activities short of a large conventional attack as part of its "spectrum of war". Evening StandardN ““When they look at warfare, they don’t have a line between peace and war.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “that's all a part of their spectrum of war, unlike us.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Mixed · 2From that perspective, he said, "we're at war with Russia today, within the alliance", because Russia's actions aim to undermine individual countries' capability to support warfare, civilians' confidence in their governments or in NATO, and to "break" NATO. Evening StandardN “we’re at war with Russia today, within the alliance, because they’re taking actions that are intended to undermine individual countries’ capability to support warfare” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “and to break Nato."” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2He added that these were not just "spurious activities" but had a strategic, long-term plan behind them, and that NATO members should take protection of their infrastructure seriously. Evening StandardN “it has a plan behind it, that it’s strategic, that it’s long-term, and that we should take seriously the protection of our infrastructure.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “You can count on it that it has a plan behind it, that it's strategic, that it's long-term” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Centre · 1The comments come amid strained US–European relations after President Donald Trump struck a diesel supply deal with Russia, waiving sanctions on fuel sales as he tries to lower pump prices ahead of US elections next month; critics say this will bankroll Russia's war against Ukraine. Evening StandardN “US President Donald Trump struck a diesel supply deal with Russia as he seeks to bring down soaring pump prices ahead of stateside elections next month.”“Critics argue the waiving of sanctions on fuel sales by Moscow will only serve to bankroll its war against Ukraine.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2The row led Trump to suggest Ukraine needed a new leader and to claim Vladimir Putin wanted a peace deal more than Kyiv did, and it has raised concerns about US intelligence sharing and Ukraine's use of Elon Musk's Starlink. Evening StandardN “The ensuing row has led Mr Trump to suggest Ukraine needed a new leader and claim Russian leader Vladimir Putin wanted a peace deal more than the government in Kyiv did.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “It has further sparked concerns regarding US intelligence sharing” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2In a show of support, Andy Burnham hosted Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street, pledging continued UK backing; both agreed that "Russia had no interest in peace". Evening StandardN “Andy Burnham hosted Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street where he pledged continued UK backing.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “Both leaders also concurred that "Russia had no interest in peace".” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets place the remarks alongside warnings about Russian hybrid warfare, such as drone and cyber attacks, and the long-seen vulnerability of UK undersea cables to sabotage by Russian spy ships. Evening StandardN “The UK’s vital undersea cables have long been seen as vulnerable to sabotage by Russian spy ships.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “including drone and cyber attacks” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Mixed · 2They also note that Trump has taken a conciliatory approach to Putin while criticising traditional allies, and said last month Putin was "not looking to attack Nato territory", despite an attempted drone strike on a German airport that European countries, including the UK, blamed on the Kremlin; his reticence has raised questions about Washington's commitment to collective security. Evening StandardN “Last month the US president insisted Mr Putin was “not looking to attack Nato territory”, despite an attempted drone strike on a German airport” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “Mr Trump's reluctance to condemn Russia has prompted additional questions regarding Washington's dedication to the enduring alliance and its fundamental principle of collective security.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Daily Mirror runs the Press Association report, leading with the claim that NATO is already engaged in a war with Russia and that Russia is waging hybrid warfare, set against Ukraine tensions.
- Emphasis
- The headline and lede stress the warning of hybrid warfare and the Kremlin's plan to break NATO, followed by Trump's conciliatory stance.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Reports no new reporting or reaction beyond the PA text; no Russian or NATO official response.
- Charged language
- “Ex-Nato chief”“hybrid warfare”
- For example
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“Former Nato Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti has warned Russia is engaged in hybrid warfare against the alliance” — Daily Mirror
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Evening Standard leads with Scaparrotti's remark that Russia is at war with NATO 'today', placing it within the transatlantic row over Ukraine and Trump's approach to Putin.
- Emphasis
- Quotes the general at length, then Trump's diesel deal, Burnham–Zelensky meeting and UK undersea cable vulnerability.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No response from Moscow, NATO or the White House.
- Charged language
- “spurious activities”“break”
- For example
-
“A long-term goal of the Kremlin’s ‘spurious activities’ is to ‘break’ the alliance, warns a retired US general” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Scaparrotti said at an Atlantic Council event in Washington that, from Russia's perspective, the West is at war with Russia today.
- He described Russia's hybrid activities as strategic and long-term, aimed at breaking NATO.
- The remarks come amid US–European tension over Trump's diesel deal with Russia and his stance on Ukraine.
Curtis Scaparrotti person
Argues that Russian doctrine does not separate peace from war, so hybrid activities are part of a long-term strategic plan to undermine and break NATO, and that allies should protect their infrastructure.
“we’re at war with Russia today, within the alliance” — Evening Standard
“we should take seriously the protection of our infrastructure.” — Evening Standard
Left1 article
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Daily MirrorL · · via PA
Ex-Nato chief warns 'Russia at war with Nato today' amid Ukraine tensions
Neutral PA copy that frames the remarks as a warning about hybrid warfare, with near-identical context on Trump's stance.
Centre1 article
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Russia is at war with Nato ‘today’, says former top military commander
Neutral Reports the general's warning in detail and contextualises it with Trump's conciliatory approach to Russia and UK support for Ukraine.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 14 Oct 22:34 First Evening StandardN Russia is at war with Nato ‘today’, says former top military commander
- 14 Oct 23:54 +1h 20m Daily MirrorL Ex-Nato chief warns 'Russia at war with Nato today' amid Ukraine tensions via PA
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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