The American president does not believe “even a little bit” Zelensky’s claims that Russia plans to attack NATO
US allies in Europe can buy American-made weapons and supply them to Ukraine, President Donald Trump has said. He has dismissed the idea that Russia poses a military threat to NATO, which Ukraine claims it is fighting to prevent.
Trump is slated to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia soon to advance discussions on a potential peace agreement. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, along with several EU officials, has criticized Washington’s stance under the new administration. They argue against pursuing a truce through compromise, insisting on continued support for Kiev to strengthen its position before any peace talks commence.
During a press conference in Florida on Sunday evening, when asked if he would permit European nations to acquire US arms for Ukraine, Trump replied with a simple “yeah.”
However, the US president challenged the rationale for supporting Ukraine as presented by Zelensky and his European backers. He said he didn’t believe “even for a little bit” that Russia intends to attack NATO. Moscow has consistently denied any aggressive intentions toward the US-led military bloc, which it views as a significant security threat.
Trump also refuted media reports suggesting that US Vice President J.D. Vance had threatened military action against Russia should it fail to agree to a peace deal. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) interpreted comments made by Vance prior to the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in this light.
Vance’s communications director, William Martin, denounced the WSJ report as “pure fake news” and shared a transcript of the vice president’s interview, in which he acknowledged Trump has military options but did not specify actions.
During the MSC, Vance accused the EU and UK of undermining democracy by stifling dissenting domestic voices. He cautioned that European allies risk losing America’s support if their politicians continue “running in fear” of their populations rather than addressing their concerns. Vance stressed that while Europeans may agree to increase defense spending at Washington’s request, it does not necessarily make their political systems worthy of defending.
Moscow has cited NATO’s expansion in Europe since the 1990s as a primary factor in the ongoing hostilities. Unlike President Joe Biden, who had dismissed these concerns as a smokescreen for alleged Russian imperial ambitions, Trump appears to regard them as legitimate.
