Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi warns that Vladimir Putin may attempt a limited attack on the Baltic NATO states as early as fall 2026, including cyberattacks, unmarked armed groups, or small land incursions. U.S. intelligence assesses Russia views the U.S. as weakened by ongoing conflicts like the Iran war, risking Kremlin miscalculation. The article highlights the risks of mixed U.S. political messaging undermining NATO's deterrence, noting President Trump's past questioning of U.S. defense commitments. The Baltic states are increasing defense spending near 5% of GDP with improvements in military and critical infrastructure. The Congressman calls for U.S. and NATO support for air and missile defenses, counter-drone systems, electronic warfare, ammunition, long-range fires, cyber defenses, and hardened infrastructure, emphasizing the need for clear American resolve to deter Russian aggression and prevent escalation into wider conflict. He also supports weapons co-production with Ukraine and allies to bolster defenses near NATO’s eastern flank. The article further reports CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow to warn Russia about attacking NATO, with Baltic states seeing no imminent conventional invasion but highlighting risks from hybrid warfare tactics such as sabotage, drone strikes, and false-flag operations.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi warns that Vladimir Putin may attempt a limited attack on the Baltic NATO states as early as fall 2026, including cyberattacks, unmarked armed groups, or small land incursions. U.S. intelligence assesses Russia views the U.S. as weakened by ongoing conflicts like the Iran war, risking Kremlin miscalculation. The article highlights the risks of mixed U.S. political messaging undermining NATO's deterrence, noting President Trump's past questioning of U.S. defense commitments. The Baltic states are increasing defense spending near 5% of GDP with improvements in military and critical infrastructure. The Congressman calls for U.S. and NATO support for air and missile defenses, counter-drone systems, electronic warfare, ammunition, long-range fires, cyber defenses, and hardened infrastructure, emphasizing the need for clear American resolve to deter Russian aggression and prevent escalation into wider conflict. He also supports weapons co-production with Ukraine and allies to bolster defenses near NATO’s eastern flank. The article further reports CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow to warn Russia about attacking NATO, with Baltic states seeing no imminent conventional invasion but highlighting risks from hybrid warfare tactics such as sabotage, drone strikes, and false-flag operations.