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U.S. President Donald Trump said he is not concerned about the possibility of Russia attacking a NATO member, dismissing growing warnings from European leaders that Moscow could test the Alliance’s resolve.
In a Thursday phone interview with Axios, Trump said he saw no immediate threat from Russia.
“I’m not concerned at all. There’s no problem,” he said when asked about the possibility of a Russian provocation against NATO countries.
Trump also downplayed CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s recent visit to Moscow, calling it a routine meeting. Ratcliffe met with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Naryshkin, earlier this week.
Several media reports claimed Ratcliffe had traveled to Moscow to warn Russia against attacking a NATO country and to discuss reducing U.S. support for Iran. Trump rejected that account.
“Ratcliffe meets with his Russian counterpart every six months or once a year. They have a very good relationship. There was no message, and nothing unusual was happening,” Trump said.
Two hours later, Trump was asked again by reporters whether Washington had warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against attacking NATO territory. He declined to elaborate but repeated: “They’re not going to attack NATO territory.”
Moscow confirms CIA meeting
Naryshkin confirmed on Thursday that he had met Ratcliffe during the CIA chief’s visit to Moscow.
According to Naryshkin, the talks were a routine part of their work and involved intelligence-related issues. He said there was “nothing extraordinary” about the meeting.
