Putin ‘grabs popcorn’ as Trump threatens to stop NATO and insiders warn of latest European struggle
European leaders fear Putin will exploit Trump’s threat to quit NATO by sparking new conflicts, as UK officials warn we can no longer rely on US military support
Insiders claim Vladimir Putin will be delighted by Donald Trump’s threats to abandon NATO(Image: Getty Images)
Vladimir Putin is reportedly sitting back and eating his popcorn as Donald Trump’s threats to abandon NATO spark fears of a fresh conflict on European soil. Senior security officials believe the Russian tyrant is ready to pounce on the growing divisions between the US and its allies.
Insiders warn that the Kremlin could exploit the chaos by triggering a crisis or conflict elsewhere in Europe to gain the upper hand in the bloody war with Ukraine.
The alarm was raised after Trump once again savaged the alliance, branding it a “paper tiger” and suggesting he is considering a full-scale withdrawal.
The President is said to be “furious” over a perceived lack of support for his military campaign against Iran, which has sent the global economy into a tailspin. One senior European diplomat told The i Paper that the rift is a gift to the Kremlin.
They said: “Of course it plays into the hands of Putin. He can fetch his popcorn and watch America deal with the mistake [it has made and] divisions becoming more visible between the US and Europeans.”
With Trump’s approval ratings wobbling and the 2028 election on the horizon, experts fear Putin sees a “window of opportunity” to strike while the alliance is fractured.
While Russia‘s military is currently tied down in Ukraine, officials are terrified of an escalation in “hybrid warfare.” This includes cyber-attacks on Western infrastructure, disinformation campaigns and provocations in non-NATO European territories. One diplomat warned: “It’s not peacetime we live in.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has hit back at Trump, calling NATO the “single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen.”
However, in a major shift, Starmer admitted the UK must now seek “closer partnership” with European allies as the “special relationship” with the US hits the rocks.
British officials are reportedly trying to placate Trump by stepping up in the Strait of Hormuz, but the mood remains tense.
Former national security adviser Lord Peter Ricketts warned that even if legal hurdles stop Trump from a total exit, the political mess would be catastrophic.
He told the BBC: “Britain and others have to get used to the idea that we can’t depend on America to be there for us.”
As the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also begins to “re-examine the value of NATO,” the message from insiders is clear that Europe must prepare for a future where it stands alone against the Russian bear.
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