Pentagon officials have privately urged several NATO countries to tone down public rhetoric about the threat posed by Russia, according to four people familiar with the discussions. The requests were delivered during bilateral meetings in recent weeks.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were among the countries receiving messages to keep their public statements in check, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity, and it remains unclear whether similar requests reached other European governments.

The outreach comes as the Trump administration renews its attempt to secure a negotiated end to the full scale war in Ukraine, now well into its fifth year. That effort has combined possible incentives for Russia, including sanctions relief, with pressure on Ukraine to stop attacks against Russian energy infrastructure.

A Pentagon official declined to discuss the reported meetings. “Private conversations among allies are just that, so we will not comment on these allegations.”

According to one person familiar with the matter, U.S. officials have taken notice of European statements suggesting Russia is cornered and turning to increasingly desperate measures as its invasion of Ukraine slows to a crawl. The Pentagon’s message focused on how that language could affect continental security.

Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby was among the U.S. officials who delivered the message, the people said. Colby is also a key figure in an ongoing examination of American troop levels in Europe, though Reuters could not determine which other officials participated.

The four people familiar with the discussions include three European officials and one U.S. official. None described the advice as confrontational, even as it exposed a broader disagreement inside NATO over how members should publicly characterize the Russian threat.

Some Western officials argue that repeatedly emphasizing the danger from Moscow could serve the Kremlin’s interests. They say Russia seeks to spread fear and weaken public support for Ukraine, making overheated rhetoric potentially counterproductive.

Other officials believe European governments must speak clearly to their voters about the sacrifices and resources needed to keep Moscow at bay. That concern has grown as Russia appears to accelerate a covert sabotage campaign across Europe, an allegation Russia has denied.

One person familiar with the discussions said Colby recently told a Baltic official there should be no “poking” directed at Russia. The person said Colby cited public suggestions that Russia was “cornered like a rat” as an example of rhetoric the United States considered unhelpful.

Reuters could not determine which specific statement Colby meant. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “rat in a corner” in late September while suggesting Putin was resorting to sabotage in Europe because Russia had become increasingly bogged down in Ukraine.

A separate European official described the Pentagon’s private message in blunt terms. “We are helping you. The Americans are there,” the official said, followed by, “Just don’t be loud. Don’t make noise.”

During another recent meeting, Pentagon officials urged an Estonian delegation to be “measured” in its communications, according to a person briefed on that encounter. The person did not identify any particular Estonian statement that drew a complaint.

The defense ministries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia did not respond to requests for comment, while NATO declined to comment. One European official called the Pentagon’s cordial advice baffling because Baltic intelligence services have consistently played down the probability that Russia would test NATO’s mutual defense provisions.

Other NATO intelligence services have publicly warned that Russia could sharply increase its sabotage campaign in the near future. Western intelligence officials have also said Moscow recently intensified a campaign of deniable attacks against NATO countries.

German prosecutors said Wednesday that two Belarusians had been arrested for allegedly planning to burn a building or critical infrastructure facility in the Nuremberg area. In September, Germany’s government blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport, allegations Moscow denied.

At the same time, U.S. officials have discussed potential business agreements with Russia as part of the Trump administration’s peace effort. European officials have offered mixed reactions, with many continuing to advocate for the Kremlin’s economic isolation.

Pentagon planners are also reviewing Washington’s military posture in Europe, a process that could produce a sharp reduction in the American troop presence. U.S. officials have said European NATO members must take greater responsibility for their own defense as Washington focuses on threats in the Middle East, Latin America and East Asia.