Donald Trump speaks out on Putin's next move amid German airport drone strike blame

Donald Trump speaks out on Putin's next move amid German airport drone strike blame The attempted drone strike on Leipzig airport in Germany has been blamed on Russia by Nato allies, including the UK, but Donald Trump has refused to condemn the Kremlin Donald Trump has claimed Vladimir Putin is "not looking to attack Nato territory", despite an attempted drone strike on a German airport that allies, including the UK, have attributed to Russia. The US president's reluctance to condemn the Kremlin will once again cast doubt over Washington's dedication to the longstanding military alliance and its fundamental principle of collective security. The British Government this week called in a senior Russian diplomat to lodge a formal protest over last month's "egregious and reckless attack" at Leipzig airport. The Prime Minister had previously declared the UK's "full solidarity" with Germany. Andy Burnham, whose first international trip in office was to Kyiv in a show of support, said: "Russian attempts to undermine our united resolve and our willingness to support Ukraine are futile and doomed to fail." An explosive-laden drone discovered near a Ukrainian aircraft was subsequently made safe. The airport is a major international freight hub that plays a vital role in supplying support to the Kyiv government, which has been fighting off invading Russian forces for more than four years. However, when pressed in the Oval Office over the incident, Mr Trump said of his Russian counterpart: "I speak to him. I know him very well. Putin's not looking to attack Nato territory." Moscow has similarly denied any involvement. Yet Germany stated it formed part of a pattern of "Russian hybrid operations", while Brussels declared it bore "all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism ". The Kremlin has been accused by European nations of orchestrating a sabotage and disruption campaign designed to weaken support for Ukraine and trigger broader instability and disorder. There have been persistent warnings about the danger Russian spy vessels pose to the UK's critical undersea cables, and only recently Russia's former foreign minister hinted that British drone factories could become targets for "unknown sources". Meanwhile, Mr Trump has presided over warming relations with Mr Putin while expressing criticism of Nato, amidst tensions surrounding Iran, which has prompted a review of US military bases across Europe.