US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has asserted that any offensive conducted by the Wagner Group must be regarded as an attack by the Russian government. Her statement came in response to concerns about potential actions by Russian-linked mercenaries against Poland.
The situation was brought to attention when Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki disclosed that more than 100 Wagner fighters, who had been training in Belarus, had moved closer to the Polish border.
During a press briefing on Monday, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield expressed unease based on the Wagner mercenaries’ past belligerent activities in Africa. She emphasized that there are worries about the possibility of these mercenaries acting on behalf of the Russian government, as they do not operate independently from Moscow.
The US Ambassador underlined the serious threat posed by the Wagner Group, and she sought to convey a clear message: any attack orchestrated by the Wagner Group will be treated as an attack directly attributable to the Russian government.
Notably, last week, the US State Department reacted to the Wagner Group’s movements in Belarus by affirming the nation’s commitment to defend every inch of NATO territory if the need arises.