Kremlin critic says Trump, Putin relationship a ‘terrifying moment for the whole world’

American financier and Kremlin critic Bill Browder joined MSNBC for a Sunday appearance to discuss the global threat of a second term for former President Trump, highlighting the possibility that he could withdraw from the NATO alliance. 

“This is a terrifying moment for the whole world really in the sense that if Donald Trump becomes the next president, he will cut off military aid for Ukraine,” Browder said. “Ukraine is totally dependent on U.S. military aid and that will basically be handing some type of military victory to Russia and to Putin.”

Throughout the conversation, Browder cited several discussions between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin across the span of world events like COVID-19 in addition to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Browder says Putin’s aggression will only expand under Trump’s return to the White House. 

“Putin has designs on other parts of Europe. He’s looking at Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who are NATO members,” Browder said. “If he gets involved with those countries in a military way then we have a treaty to defend those countries.”

“And then the question is would Donald Trump honor that treaty obligation. And he’s made all sorts of noises in his previous presidency about not liking to be a part of NATO,” Browder added.

He referenced Putin as a “murderous dictator” who Trump often praises. 

“This is a scary moment because we could be in a sort of World War II situation if Putin can run roughshod over Europe because he no longer has to worry about American aid for Ukraine,” Browder said. 

The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.