NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, General Alexus Grynkewich, has warned against any aggression targeting member states, declaring that the alliance is prepared to fight if attacked.

“If attacked, we are ready to fight tonight,” the American general said on Monday in Poland.

“We know how we will fight if a fight comes to us. And we know we will win,” he added.

Grynkewich made the remarks at the 2026 Warsaw Security Forum, where he outlined his “theory of victory” as preventing an initial attack and, if it continued, blunting the assault and stopping enemy forces from advancing.

The military chief said NATO was not seeking to impose a “strategic defeat” on its adversary. Instead, he explained that the alliance’s objective was to stop a potential assault, dismantle the enemy’s fighting forces and operational capabilities, and prevent it from seizing territory.

Moscow has repeatedly accused European countries of pursuing a strategy aimed at inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia, including through sanctions and efforts to encourage countries outside Europe to impose similar measures.

At the Warsaw Security Forum, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska joined Lithuania’s Defence Minister, Robertas Kaunas, and Polish Defence Ministry Secretary of State Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka in discussions on strengthening Europe’s military capabilities.

Shekerinska, a former defence minister of North Macedonia, said strengthening defence capabilities remained a major NATO priority to protect the alliance’s approximately one billion people.

She encouraged member states to increase their defence spending, citing the commitment to invest 5 per cent of gross domestic product annually.

The NATO deputy chief also reaffirmed the alliance’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and condemned what she described as Russia’s hybrid campaign against NATO members.

“The real reason why Russia has opted for this kind of attacks or threats is because they want to undermine our unity,” she said.