A top military commander for NATO—the alliance of countries that help protect each other—has sent a clear message to Russia. He says the alliance is ready to stop any attacks. He wants to make sure Russia knows that if they try to hurt any NATO member, the alliance will fight back hard.

At the same time, the commander has shared some advice for Ukraine. He told them to be careful about hitting oil refineries inside Russia. These are the factories that turn oil into fuel. Even though Ukraine is fighting for its life, the U.S. and NATO are worried that attacking these places could make the price of oil go up all over the world. They think it might cause more problems than it helps.

The commander also talked about how NATO is getting ready. They are working on new plans to protect their borders. They are checking their supplies and making sure their troops are ready to move quickly if they are needed.

Basically, the message to Russia is: stay back. The message to Ukraine is: keep fighting, but be smart about your targets.

Experts say these warnings show just how tense things have become. NATO is trying to find a balance. They want to show they are strong enough to protect their own land, but they also want to avoid a bigger fight that could spread across the globe.

Source: The Washington Post