Trump: Putin will not attack NATO territory

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attack the territory of a NATO member, downplaying media reports this week that CIA director John Ratcliffe had warned Russian officials against such an action.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was blunt: "He will not attack NATO territory."

Trump also told Axios in a phone interview earlier that such an attack would not occur and that Ratcliffe was not sent to Moscow to deliver any special message.

Addressing questions about Ratcliffe's contacts with Russian counterparts, Trump said: "Ratcliffe meets with his Russian counterpart once every six months or once a year. They have very good relations. There was no message and there was nothing unusual."

The president sought to minimize the significance of the published reports that suggested a higher-level warning had been conveyed to Moscow by the CIA director earlier this week.

Trump did not offer further details during his Oval Office remarks.

Photo: press material from the event