US President Donald Trump has dismissed growing concerns about a possible Russian attack on NATO countries.
Trump said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and was confident Russia would not target alliance territory.
“I’ve had good talks with him. He’s not going to be attacking a NATO territory,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
His comments followed a surprise visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Reports said Ratcliffe’s trip was linked to concerns that Russia could test NATO’s response through military action.
Trump previously described the CIA chief’s Moscow visit as “semi-routine,” playing down speculation surrounding the trip.
However, European intelligence officials said they currently see no clear sign of an imminent Russian attack.
The latest claims come as Russia continues its heavy attacks across Ukraine.
Russian forces launched missiles and drones at several Ukrainian cities during an overnight assault.
Ukraine has warned that its air defence systems are under growing pressure from repeated Russian attacks.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces had struck a Russian Tu-95MS missile-carrying aircraft.
“These are the aircraft that are carrying out strikes against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
Meanwhile, Russia said it carried out a “massive” attack on targets across nine Ukrainian cities.
Moscow claimed the strikes targeted military facilities, industrial sites, oil refineries and transport infrastructure.
Zelenskyy said Russia’s continued attacks require stronger support for Ukraine’s air defence.
“Russia continues to invest in missiles and in expanding its war, and that means more countermeasures are needed,” he said.
The situation has also raised concerns about Ukraine’s economy and energy supply ahead of winter.
Furthermore, tensions remain closely watched as Washington, Moscow and European governments assess the risks.
