Donald Trump has delivered a blunt verdict on the prospect of Vladimir Putin launching an attack against NATO, insisting he is “not concerned... at all” about the possibility. The US President said he did not believe Russia would attack NATO territory, despite reports that Washington has been increasingly worried about the possibility of Moscow testing the alliance's resolve.
Trump's confidence in Putin
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Mr Trump said he had held “good talks” with Mr Putin and was confident the Russian leader would not launch an attack on a NATO member. Mr Trump insisted: “He’s not going to be attacking a NATO territory.”
Asked directly whether he was concerned about the possibility of Russia attacking a NATO country, he replied: “I am not concerned... at all. There is no problem.”
CIA director's Moscow visit
His remarks came after reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare trip to Moscow earlier this week for talks with Russian intelligence officials. US media reports suggested Mr Ratcliffe's visit was partly intended to warn the Kremlin against attacking NATO territory, amid intelligence assessments that Moscow could potentially attempt a limited assault or other form of military provocation against the alliance.
Mr Trump, however, played down the significance of the visit and rejected suggestions that the CIA chief had travelled to Russia to deliver a specific warning to Mr Putin. He said in an interview with Axios: “Ratcliffe meets with his Russian counterpart once every six months or once a year. They have a very good relationship.”
“There was no message, and nothing unusual happened.”
Sources familiar with the discussions said Mr Ratcliffe did raise concerns about the possibility of Russian operations against NATO, although this was not necessarily the main focus of the meetings. The talks reportedly covered a range of issues, including Russia's support for Iran, as Washington continues efforts to maintain channels of communication with Moscow.
NATO concerns and Article 5
The Kremlin has also dismissed reports of an imminent Russian attack on NATO as “scare stories”. But concerns over Moscow's intentions have continued to grow in European capitals, particularly over the possibility of a limited operation designed to test NATO's commitment to its collective defence pledge.
A direct attack on one NATO member would raise the prospect of Article 5 being invoked, under which an armed attack against one ally is treated as an attack against all. The concern is not necessarily that Russia would immediately launch a full-scale war against NATO, but that Moscow could attempt a smaller military or hybrid operation which stops short of an obvious declaration of war.
Reports have also suggested fears over possible cyberattacks, sabotage or limited incursions, particularly in eastern Europe and the Baltic region.
The warnings come as Russia's war in Ukraine continues, with Moscow facing growing tensions with Britain and other Western nations over military support for Kyiv. Russia has accused the UK and France of “playing with fire” over their backing for Ukraine and has threatened retaliation against Western military interests. Despite those tensions, Mr Trump has now made clear that he does not believe Mr Putin intends to take the confrontation any further.
