Ankara: US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin "is not going to be attacking a NATO territory." During an exchange in the Oval Office, Trump emphasized his confidence in Putin's stance, following discussions with the Russian leader. When questioned if Putin had explicitly committed to refraining from such aggression, Trump affirmed, "I had good talks with him. He's not going to be attacking a NATO territory."

According to Anadolu Agency, CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently engaged with Russian officials in Moscow. Reports suggest that Ratcliffe might have cautioned Moscow against escalating tensions with America's NATO allies concerning their support for Ukraine. However, Trump refuted claims that Ratcliffe's visit was intended as a warning. Instead, he described the meeting with Russian Foreign Intelligence Service chief Sergey Naryshkin as "standard business," noting that such interactions occur once or twice a year and maintain a professional rapport.

Further questioned about potential US actions if Russia continued its dealings with Iran despite American warnings, Trump remained non-committal, stating, "It depends. It depends." He noted, however, that Russia had so far behaved "quite well" concerning the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with Axios, Trump expressed no concern over the possibility of a Russian attack on a NATO member, asserting, "There is no problem." He dismissed the notion that Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow with a warning, reiterating the routine nature of his engagement with Russian officials.