Sergey Mikheyev, a Russian political scientist, recently warned on state television that the Kremlin could strike three European capitals that belong to member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) following a notable shift in U.S. policy on NATO support under the Trump administration.
Why It Matters
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signaled a major change in the U.S. position on Ukraine, a close ally that receives substantial American aid, amid its ongoing war with Russia.
The administration has suggested that NATO membership for Ukraine is not probable and has emphasized prioritizing U.S. security and border protection over NATO commitments and willingness to defend Europe.
Russia, meanwhile, appears to be reassessing its political options amid a shift in the U.S. administration’s stance.
What To Know
The Trump administration’s foreign policy signals a departure from previous U.S. commitments and could impact Ukraine’s strategic position. Over the past three years, roughly 50 nations have provided more than $126 billion in military aid to Kyiv but shifting U.S. priorities may pressure European allies to increase their contributions.
In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its Eastern European neighbor, with the conflict resulting in significant loss of life, international sanctions on Moscow, and a protracted humanitarian crisis. Russia previously annexed Crimea in 2014.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday where he said that “returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective.”
Trump has also called for European nations to assume the bulk of supporting Ukraine’s defense, including a proposed peacekeeping force that would not involve U.S. troops.
On Russian state television, Mikheyev said about the U.S.’s shifting stance towards Russia and Ukraine, “It’s certainly clear that what’s happening is good news. It’s drastically different from all we’ve seen before,” according to a video translated by journalist Julia Davis.
“If you compare the rhetoric of Trump’s team with Biden’s rhetoric, it’s worlds apart,” he said, adding, “Now, there is no isolation, even from the American side.”
He then referenced the Trump administration’s stance on U.S. forces and NATO’s Article 5, noting Hegseth’s claim that U.S. troops would not be involved in a conflict with Russia, saying, “We should make this thought clear for the Europeans, now we can actually strike Brussels, London and Paris…We can forget about Article 5 and forget about Americans stepping up to help.”
Article 5 provides that if a NATO ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the ally attacked.
Belgium, the United Kingdom, and France are all NATO countries.
Newsweek has reached out to Belgium and the United Kingdom’s foreign ministries for comment via email, and France’s foreign ministry via online contact form on Sunday.
Meanwhile in Russia: Sergey Mikheyev says that in light of the Trump administration’s express intent to abandon NATO allies in case they intervene in Ukraine, Russia should strike Brussels, London and Paris. Vladimir Solovyov wholeheartedly agrees.https://t.co/Bqq6bae1Rf
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) February 16, 2025
What People Are Saying
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday in Brussels: “To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, “The Russian Federation does not want to end the war and continues to escalate global tensions. That is why U.S. military support is crucial for Ukraine. Only in this way can we achieve a just and lasting peace.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state-controlled TV on Thursday, per Reuters, “One way or another, of course, Ukraine will participate in the negotiations,” adding, “There will be a bilateral Russian-American track of this dialogue, and a track that will be related to Ukraine’s involvement.”
Senator Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican and chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Politico on Friday: “Hegseth is going to be a great defense secretary, although he wasn’t my choice for the job…But he made a rookie mistake in Brussels and he’s walked back some of what he said but not that line.”
What Happens Next?
Trump has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since taking office about ending the war between the two countries. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly slated to speak with top Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to commence Ukraine peace talks, according to several outlets.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency meeting for European leaders to discuss Ukraine and the U.S.’s role, in a meeting likely to be held on Monday, according to The Guardian.
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