According to the magazine, some members of President Donald Trump's administration have suggested that the United States might not defend the Baltic states in the event of a Russian attack.
Washington is also reportedly concerned that deploying NATO missiles in Europe capable of striking deep into Russian territory could further escalate tensions with Moscow.
> "Some members of the Trump administration have indicated they would not defend the Baltic states and have expressed concern about the risk of escalation if NATO deploys missiles capable of striking deep inside Russia," The Economist writes.
The magazine argues that Europe's growing challenge is no longer limited to a reduction in the American military presence but also includes the domestic political direction of the Trump administration.
According to The Economist, Washington is effectively destabilizing European politics by supporting far-right movements and deepening its disagreements with longstanding European allies.
> "The more anti-European America becomes, the more Russia will be tempted to test NATO, and the harder it will be for Europeans to mount a united response," the article states.
The magazine argues that Moscow does not necessarily need to launch a full-scale invasion of NATO territory. A more likely and dangerous scenario would involve limited, ambiguous actions such as provocations, sabotage, drone attacks, border incidents, or operations without clear attribution.
Such actions could expose divisions within the alliance over whether an incident qualifies as an attack under NATO commitments and how members should respond.
One example of the changing U.S. approach is the planned deployment of Tomahawk missiles in Germany.
In July 2024, Washington and Berlin announced that beginning in 2026 the United States would periodically deploy long-range weapons systems in Germany, including SM-6 missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and a future hypersonic weapon. At the time, the move was presented as a demonstration of America's commitment to NATO and European defense.
That plan is now in doubt. According to Politico, as cited by Anadolu Agency, the United States is considering canceling the deployment of Tomahawk missiles to Germany, partly because of concerns that Russia would view the move as a provocation.
The report also cited reduced U.S. missile stockpiles following the conflict with Iran and President Trump's decision to withdraw 5,000 American troops from Germany.
German officials have publicly stated that the deployment has not been formally canceled. Berlin does not consider the plan abandoned but acknowledges that uncertainty surrounding the U.S. decision is already pushing European countries to develop their own long-range strike capabilities.
Another example reflecting the same broader trend is U.S. restrictions on foreign access to Anthropic's newest artificial intelligence models. On June 12, U.S. authorities required the company to restrict access to the Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for foreign nationals over national security concerns. Anthropic temporarily disabled access for all users because it could not verify customers' citizenship in real time. The restrictions were later lifted after additional security measures were implemented.
Against this backdrop, NATO has been emphasizing efforts to strengthen its eastern flank.
According to official alliance data, NATO currently has nine multinational battlegroups stationed in Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.
