While the Russia-Western tensions have not cooled down, the new decision from Washington is making European allies, especially the Baltic countries, restless.
In late August, the Pentagon summoned a group of European diplomats and sent a clear message: The US will cut some of its security assistance to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - three NATO members located close to Russia's borders.
The Trump administration wants Europe to reduce its dependence on Washington, according to US Defense Department official David Baker. The US will focus more on territorial defense and domestic priorities. The message immediately raised concerns about Russia's advance.
Just a few days later, that script somewhat came true. The Russian MiG-31 fighter is accused of violating Estonia's airspace for 10 minutes before being intercepted and chased by an Italian F-35 fighter. Moscow has denied the allegations, saying its plane only flew in neutral waters.
But on the same day, Poland reported that Russian aircraft were approaching an offshore oil rig, following a series of incidents before when Warsaw shot down many Russian drones.
Surprisingly, Washington's reaction was quite lackluster. Mr Trump took hours to speak out about the Estonia case, only briefly warning that the situation could lead to great trouble. With the incident in Poland before, he only wrote vaguely on the social network Truth Social: "It's starting!".
Many observers see this as a sign that a dependent Trump President is returning: Avoid going deep, let Europe take care of itself. After a busy summer of diplomacy - including a meeting with President Putin in Alaska - Mr. Trump is now focusing on domestic politics, visa reform and the anti-crime campaign.
Efforts to find solutions to global hotspots such as Gaza and Ukraine are gradually giving way to a more reserved foreign policy.
However, this retreat does not mean Washington has completely abandoned it. Some weapons are still being transported to Ukraine. However, it is the opposite reaction that is worrying, diplomats warn that if the US appears weak, Russia will step in and exploit the internal division of Europe.
In fact, over the past few months, Europe has been tired of Mr Trump's unpredictable shifts. At one point, he threatened to sanction Russia with a series of strong measures, at another time criticized Europe itself for continuing to buy Russian oil.
In early September, in a call to the EU leadership, he even asked the bloc to impose a 100% tariff on China and India - countries that still import energy from Moscow, as a condition for the US to tighten sanctions.
For the Baltic countries, this is an alarming signal. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are heavily dependent on US-led NATO shields. If Washington narrow their role, they will become a "weak spot" right on the Russian side.
A letter calling on the Trump administration to reconsider was sent from lawmakers from the three countries, but the White House responded coldly: The European Union is a rich economy that can completely afford to pay for its own security.
