# Western officials: Russia is escalating rhetoric but still seeks to avoid war with NATO

https://mins.news/en/item/37975

- BBC Chinese, 2026-08-31 00:15 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/articles/cy8zyg119dyo/trad?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> Western officials say Vladimir Putin’s increasingly hostile rhetoric toward the UK and other allies supporting Ukraine does not mean Russia wants direct military confrontation with NATO. They expect Moscow to continue “hybrid activity” such as cyberattacks, sabotage and assassinations, while warning that miscalculation could trigger conflict.

## Stories

- [Russia Ukraine War and European Support](https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-ukraine-war-european-support) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-ukraine-war-european-support.md

## Related coverage

- [Fires, drones and assassination plots: Russia’s covert war in the EU](https://mins.news/en/video/42654) — CNN, 2026-09-02
- [Western officials fear Putin is preparing to escalate beyond Ukraine](https://mins.news/en/item/38272) — Meduza, 2026-08-31
- [Russia ramps up rhetoric but wants to avoid war with Nato, Western officials say](https://mins.news/en/item/36080) — BBC News, 2026-08-28