Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said he does not believe the United States will withdraw from NATO despite recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
A full U.S. exit from the alliance is unlikely and lacks practical sense, while Congress would not allow a president to carry out such a decision unilaterally, Medvedev said.
Russian state media described Trump’s rhetoric as “posturing” and “pure showmanship,” citing Medvedev’s comments.
However, Washington could take less visible but still significant steps that would affect Europe, he added.
The remarks follow Trump’s statement that the United States is prepared to “seriously consider” leaving NATO after disputes with European allies over the war with Iran.
British and American media have described the tensions as one of the most serious crises within the alliance in decades.