Nato’s top commander has issued a blunt warning to Russia and said the alliance would ‘be ready to fight tonight.’

Speaking after Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a security conference in Warsaw, US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich said he doesn’t believe conflict is ‘imminent or inevitable’.

But outlining his ‘theory of victory’, he said his forces would destroy ‘anything and everything’ involved if Moscow was ‘foolish enough’ to launch an assault on alliance territory.

‘Should the adversary choose to press the attack or commit his reserves, we will break the warfighting system engaged against us,’ Grynkewich said.

‘This includes not just the attacking force itself, but anything and everything that supports, sustains, and controls that force.’

While Nato is a defensive alliance, he added, it will block, blunt, and break any attack against any of its 32 member states to ensure the assault proves ‘utterly futile’.

‘If someone is foolish enough to attack us, we will fight,’ he said. ‘We will stop the attack and deny them the ability to achieve their objectives, whatever those might be.

‘We will, in short, ensure any attack against any ally proves utterly futile.’

Grynkewich continued: ‘We should take comfort in our ability to deliver mass effects and the implicit warning that we could match any enemy move up the escalation ladder.

‘These same factors should also give pause to any adversary seeing an alliance united, strong and ready; they should quickly realise the military calculus of escalation is too high.’

Nato’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe did not name a country explicitly, but his remarks were clearly directed at Moscow.

Russia is already described by Nato’s 2022 Strategic Concept as the most significant threat to the alliance’s security.

Grynkewich’s speech also comes at a time of rising tension between Russia and European nations.

European governments have accused Moscow of stepping up a campaign of sabotage, drone incursions, and cyberattacks against them.

Last month, Vladimir Putin’s Russia warned it would use nuclear weapons if Nato attempted to cut off its exclave of Kaliningrad, which is sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.

In recent weeks, several countries in the alliance have reported drone attacks in their airspace, seemingly as threats for supporting Ukraine.

There have been subsequent hybrid attacks, with leaders focusing on national resilience in the face of potential dangers.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned the public to stockpile food, water, and cash and create supply kits containing first aid items, batteries, power banks, and baby supplies in case of emergencies like a war.

Elsewhere at the Warsaw Security Forum, Zelenskyy accused Russia of six ‘energy ceasefire’ violations, resulting in 33 people across the country sustaining injuries.

‘This is what happens when Russia sees the prospect of higher revenues for its war machine,’ Zelenskyy said.

President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy ceasefire and would cease attacks on each other’s energy facilities.

Trump made a similar announcement in September, though neither side confirmed a deal was actually in place and attacks continued.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, .

MORE: Russia ‘pressured’ dead plague scientist’s family to stay quiet

MORE: Russia strikes power plants moments after Trump announces ‘energy ceasefire’ between Putin and Zelensky

MORE: Andy Burnham confirms Russia interfered in Brexit vote