Trump: I'm Not Worried About Russia Attacking NATO Countries

President Donald Trump said he is not concerned about Russia attacking NATO member states.

Responding to a question about the possibility of Russia provoking NATO countries, Trump told Axios in a phone interview Thursday: "I am not worried at all. There is no problem."

Axios noted that Trump's remarks come at a time when European leaders are increasingly anxious about whether Moscow might test the alliance's readiness to defend its members, including Washington's commitment to Article Five, which enshrines the principle of collective defense among NATO nations, whether through a limited attack or other military provocations.

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe made a secret visit to Moscow on Tuesday, meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Naryshkin.

Trump described the visit as "routine," expressing surprise at media coverage regarding its nature, and clarified that the CIA director meets his Russian counterpart "once every six months or once a year," adding that the two men "have a good relationship."

He added: "There was no message, and there was nothing unusual."

About two hours later, Trump was again asked by reporters whether the United States had warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about the potential for attacks on NATO countries. He declined to comment but added: "They will not attack NATO territory."

In June, the United States set a six-month deadline to review its military presence in Europe so that Europe can ultimately assume "primary responsibility for its own conventional defense." The review process officially began in late July.

The U.S. demand for a more equitable sharing of defense burdens between Americans and Europeans is not new, but it has gained momentum since Donald Trump returned to the White House last year.

In June, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking from Brussels, described the behavior of European allies who refused to allow U.S. forces to use NATO bases on their soil as "shameful."