President Donald Trump asserted on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not seeking to attack NATO territory, a statement made despite a suspected Russian drone attack on a German airport that has heightened concerns across Europe.
"I speak to him. I know him very well. Putin's not looking to attack Nato territory," Trump said in the Oval Office when questioned about the incident. European security officials believe the drone attacks, which involved explosive-laden devices found near a Ukrainian jet and at a NATO logistics hub at Leipzig-Halle Airport in August, are part of Russia's hybrid warfare strategy against nations supporting Ukraine. US intelligence reportedly believes Russian secret services were behind the attack, with DNA evidence potentially linking it to a prior sabotage attempt at the same airport.
Trump's remarks have raised concerns about the US commitment to NATO, particularly as his administration prepares to send envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Moscow and Kyiv with a plan to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. The drone incidents have amplified anxieties across Europe, with Germany reporting multiple suspicious sightings over military and industrial sites. Britain has summoned a senior Russian diplomat over the Leipzig airport attack, and other Western leaders have expressed solidarity with Germany, condemning the actions as reckless and part of Russian hybrid operations.
The Leipzig airport is a critical hub for military transport, including for the German military and NATO allies, and also serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines. Moscow has denied involvement in the drone incidents. Germany, however, has described the attempted strike as part of a wider campaign of Russian hybrid operations, while Brussels has characterized it as bearing "all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism."
European governments have frequently accused the Kremlin of orchestrating sabotage plots to undermine support for Ukraine and destabilize the continent. Warnings have also emerged regarding Russian spy ships allegedly targeting critical undersea infrastructure, and a former Russian foreign minister has suggested that British drone factories could be targeted by "unknown sources."
Kushner and Witkoff's upcoming mission follows CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow last month, where he reportedly warned the Kremlin against escalating the conflict. The two envoys, who have previously visited Moscow and faced accusations of siding with Russia, are expected to meet Putin on Saturday and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday. Trump stated that the envoys are carrying a proposal to end the war, but did not specify if it involved territorial concessions from Ukraine. "We have an idea for peace," he added.
Trump has previously attributed the war to a "personality problem" between Putin and Zelensky. Zelensky indicated he had proposed a ceasefire with Russia during the envoys' visit, stating that Ukraine would cease airstrikes if Russia reciprocated for the duration of the talks. A senior Ukrainian official confirmed the envoys' planned visit to Kyiv on Sunday, while the Kremlin declined to comment.