US President Donald Trump dismissed claims that Russia would eventually go to war with NATO. In an interview with journalists, Trump expressed his disagreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement that Russia might target NATO countries in the near future. When asked about the possibility, Trump replied, "No, I don't agree. I don't agree. Not even a little bit."

Zelensky had recently suggested that Russia could be preparing to engage in aggression against NATO countries as early as next year. This claim followed warnings from the Danish Defence Intelligence Service, which on February 11 noted that Russia could be ready for a large-scale war in Europe within five years if the war in Ukraine were to freeze or end, with NATO refraining from rearming. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had further stated that while Russia could face inevitable defeat if it attacked NATO now, the threat could increase in the coming years.

In addition to his comments on Russia, Trump also mentioned his willingness to allow European nations to purchase US-made weapons for Ukraine. The move would potentially enable Ukraine to continue using American military equipment even as the US withdraws its direct military support for the country. According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration has been encouraging European allies to buy US weapons and military equipment to maintain NATO cohesion. The US is also seeking increased European purchases of American energy.

This initiative follows a request by the US State Department for European nations to submit proposals detailing the weapons, peacekeeping troops, and security measures they could provide to Ukraine as part of any security guarantees to end the war with Russia. The US has also sought clarification on what additional support its allies would need from Washington to implement these measures.

Sources:

• Fox News
• Ukrainska Pravda
• Bloomberg