Trump to Axios: I'm not worried Russia will attack NATO

President Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Thursday that he isn't concerned that Russia will attack NATO countries.

Why it matters: European leaders have grown extremely concerned and warned publicly that Moscow could test NATO's resolve — and Trump's commitment to Article 5, the alliance's collective-defense clause — through a limited attack or other military provocations.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a covert trip to Moscow on Tuesday and met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Naryshkin.

Several media outlets reported that the visit was an effort to warn Moscow not to attack a NATO country.

But Trump disputed those reports, telling Axios Ratcliffe delivered no such warning.

What he's saying: "I am not concerned ... at all.

There is no problem," Trump said when asked about a possible Russian provocation against NATO countries.

The president called Ratcliffe's trip "standard business" and expressed puzzlement over the media accounts of it.

"Ratcliffe sees his Russian counterpart once every six months or once every year.

They have a very good relationship.

There was no message and there was nothing unusual," Trump said.

The other side: Naryshkin, the director of the Russian foreign intelligence service, confirmed on Thursday that he met with Ratcliffe during his visit to Moscow.

He said the talks were "a regular part of their work" and that "there was nothing out of the ordinary." Naryshkin said he discussed "intelligence matters" with Ratcliffe.

State of play: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios in July that Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning a massive mobilization of 500,000 troops in the coming months for a renewed offensive in Ukraine.