NATO Alarmed by US-Russia Talks – AFP
Western Diplomats Warn of Potential Threat to Alliance’s Future
European NATO members have voiced concerns over Washington’s renewed engagement with Moscow, fearing that sidelining the EU in discussions could weaken the US-led military alliance, AFP reports, citing Western diplomats.
Recent high-level meetings between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have focused on ending the Ukraine conflict and improving diplomatic relations, with further talks reportedly on the horizon.
According to a Wednesday report, unnamed NATO diplomats expressed unease over signals from Washington indicating a possible reduction of US forces in Europe. They pointed to former US President Donald Trump’s outreach to Russia as a contributing factor to their anxiety.
“We see the trend—less US involvement in the alliance,” one NATO diplomat told AFP. “Our priority is to maintain the strongest possible US presence in NATO.”
In response, EU nations have ramped up military spending and weapons production, in part due to Trump’s call for NATO members to more than double their defense budgets to 5% of GDP.
“We always anticipated that at some point America would step back,” noted former NATO official Jamie Shea. According to the diplomats, the US should provide a clear timeline if it intends to scale down its military role in Europe.
European NATO Members on Edge
Western diplomats see Washington’s talks with Moscow as a potential existential threat to NATO, AFP reports. For now, they hope Trump’s engagement with Russia is merely a tactical move to negotiate an end to hostilities.
“If this represents a long-term strategic shift, then it’s a significant problem,” one diplomat remarked. Another added, “Optimism is certainly fading.”
Trump has previously suggested that NATO’s expansion and its outreach to Ukraine during former President Joe Biden’s administration played a role in sparking the conflict with Russia.
Moscow has consistently opposed NATO’s expansion toward its borders, labeling the alliance a national security threat. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have maintained that NATO’s efforts to integrate Ukraine were a key factor in escalating tensions, culminating in the 2022 conflict.
Russia, however, has rejected claims from NATO members that it harbors intentions to attack the alliance. Putin has dismissed such speculation as “complete nonsense.”
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