Trump says he is not worried about possible Russian attack on NATO
US President Donald Trump said he is completely unconcerned about the threat of a Russian attack on NATO member states, denying that the CIA director had delivered a warning to Moscow on the matter. The remarks come amid concerns from European leaders about a potential Kremlin provocation against the alliance.
US President Donald Trump said in a phone interview with Axios that he is not at all concerned about the possibility of Russia attacking a NATO member state.
Trump also denied media reports suggesting that CIA Director John Ratcliffe's recent visit to Moscow was meant to warn the Kremlin against attacking Alliance members. According to Trump, Ratcliffe meets with his Russian counterpart roughly once every six months to a year, the two have a good relationship, and no unusual message was conveyed during this particular meeting.
Concerns in Europe
Speaking further with reporters, Trump dismissed concerns about possible Russian aggression toward NATO, saying Russia has no intention of attacking Alliance territory. He reiterated that the issue does not trouble him at all, calling it "no problem."
Trump's comments come as several European leaders have warned that the Kremlin might attempt to test NATO's resolve and Trump's commitment to Article 5 on collective defense through a limited attack or other military provocations.
Background
Earlier, on Thursday, August 27, Russia's Foreign Ministry claimed that the United Kingdom and France are "playing with fire" by providing Ukraine with technology for strikes deep into Russian territory. A Russian foreign ministry representative threatened to strike British military facilities both in Ukraine and beyond in response to continued defense support for Kyiv.
According to The New York Times, CIA Director Ratcliffe did not voice any threats during his Moscow visit regarding possible consequences for Russia should Vladimir Putin continue the war against Ukraine.
