In Western media discussions about a potential U.S. withdrawal from NATO if Donald Trump wins the next presidential election, Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma Committee on International Relations and leader of the LDPR, describes a shift in opinion. His comments were cited by RIA News.
Slutsky argued that some allies have been trying to bolster the North Atlantic Alliance by portraying Russia as an aggressor and by citing alleged threats to NATO member states following the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. He noted that NATO member countries are conducting large-scale military exercises, signaling heightened tensions in the region.
He warned that such developments amount to what he called a dangerous strategic risk, describing the situation as a provocative fire that could escalate into a broader confrontation if not managed carefully.
In his assessment, NATO’s survival after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact is seen by him as part of a broader effort to sustain a unipolar security order led by the United States. He suggested that statements portraying NATO as merely a defensive alliance are biased or misleading.
Yuri Shvytkin, a former deputy chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, dismissed the likelihood of NATO dissolving should Donald Trump assume the U.S. presidency.
Additional remarks have surfaced in Turkish discussions about NATO membership and future membership status, reflecting a wider regional conversation on alliance cohesion and security guarantees in Europe.