Senior NATO commander warns Putin is becoming more cavalier and open to risk as Ukraine war drags on

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is becoming "increasingly cavalier, dangerous and risk accepting, " as his war in Ukraine drags on and as he seeks to divide Western allies, NATO's deputy commander in Europe remarked Tuesday.

What happened

Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer spoke to The Associated Press at a security conference in Estonia against the backdrop of warnings from some European leaders that Moscow is planning to test NATO's collective defense pact with bolder attacks that have already included sabotage and espionage.

Stringer cautioned that NATO members need to be aware of the "febrile environment" and be careful in their response as Putin would like to provoke the alliance into an "overreaction."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk remarked last week that Russia might target NATO nations with deliberate drone or missile strikes while claiming they were accidental. French President Emmanuel Macron agreed and has asked his administration to prepare a plan to protect critical infrastructure against potential drone attacks and cyberattacks.

The bottom line

In short, senior NATO commander warns Putin is becoming more cavalier and open to is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.