Donald Trump told reporters he believes Vladimir Putin will not launch an attack on NATO territory following what he described as "good talks".

US‑Russia dialogue

The comment came two days after John Ratcliffe, director of the CIA, travelled to Moscow for a surprise meeting that Western media said aimed to deter any Russian move against the alliance.

When asked whether the CIA chief had warned Moscow, the president replied, "I don't want to comment on that, but they're not going to attack." He added that the discussion also touched on the war in Ukraine.

Ratcliffe's visit marks one of the highest‑level US trips to Russia since the conflict began in 2022, arriving as Moscow intensifies its summer offensive.

European security assessment

A senior official from the European Union, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that European intelligence services do not see a current Russian plan to strike NATO members, and that assessment remains unchanged.

This reassurance is significant for capitals in Central and Eastern Europe, which have been bolstering defence budgets amid heightened Russian activity near their borders.

It also feeds into ongoing EU debates about energy security, given Russia's cooperation with Iran on maritime trade routes.

Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's foreign intelligence service, told state news agency TASS that the meeting with Ratcliffe was routine and involved "a number of issues that fall within the remit of intelligence services".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Western reports of a looming NATO attack as "scare stories" with no basis in reality, while reiterating that Russia prefers a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine continues to shape the security calculations of both NATO and the EU, as drone strikes and frontline battles strain Russian resources and keep the continent on edge.