A strong backlash in Europe follows Trump’s ultimatum to NATO partners
Donald Trump‘s claim that the US would not defend NATO countries that failed to achieve the alliance’s expenditure target has been condemned by European politicians.
At a speech in South Carolina, the former US president and front-runner for the Republican nomination declared that he would “encourage” Russia to attack any NATO member that does not contribute 2% of its GDP to the alliance’s budget.
He stated that he was asked, “If we don’t pay, and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?” by the president of an unidentified “big country” in Europe.
According to Trump, his reply was, “No, I wouldn’t defend you. Actually, I would say let Russia do whatever the hell it wants. You must make payment. You must settle your debts.”
The head of EU defense and foreign policy, Josep Borrell, stated in a Monday morning speech in Brussels: “Let’s be serious. NATO cannot operate as a military alliance “à la carte.” (It) cannot be a military alliance that functions only on the US President’s sense of humor on certain days.”
“I’m not going to spend my time commenting on any silly idea that comes during this campaign in the US,” he said.
The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, likewise criticized Trump’s provocative remarks. Michel claimed on the social media site X that “Reckless statements on NATO’s security and Art 5 solidarity serve only Putin’s interest.”
Article 5 mandates that all 31 members of the military alliance assist any member who is attacked with armed force. Only once has it been used since the US was attacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001.
Michel continued, “They do not bring more peace or security to the world.” Conversely, they underline once more how crucial it is that the EU invest on its defense and rapidly expand its strategic autonomy. and to maintain the power of our Alliance.”
Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, stated on the French television station LCI that Trump’s remarks demonstrated how “sick” American democracy was.
Breton declared, “We cannot gamble our security every four years,” alluding to the US presidential elections.
Additionally, he asserted that Trump’s remarks were connected to a 2020 meeting he had with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Trump allegedly assured her that in the event of an attack, the US would not support Europe.
“You would like to get it that if Europe is beneath attack we are going never come to assist you and to back you,” Trump said amid the 2020 World Financial Gathering in Davos, concurring to Breton, including that “by the way, NATO is dead.”
The outside service of Germany – one of NATO’s greatest spenders whose consumption in any case does not reach the target of 2% of GDP – said that “this NATO statement of faith keeps more than 950 million individuals secure – from Mooring to Erzurum.”
Belgian MEP Fellow Verhofstadt, who sits on the parliament’s assignment for relations with the Joined together States, too took to X to call on the EU to “arrange and coordinated guard endeavors from obtainment to sending,” to decrease dependence on Washington.
Authorities in Brussels are progressively apprehensive that a Trump comeback may extremely disturb the West’s firmly adjusted approach on Ukraine and dissolve NATO’s impact.
The coalition is looking to scale up its guard industry and military capabilities in a offered to boost its so-called “key independence.”
Fears that Trump may re-impose corrective exchange duties on EU items entering the US are too raising the alarm. Trump has promised that in case chosen he will raise a 10% tax on all remote imports, and indeed higher demands on China-made products.
A representative of the European Commission said on Monday that the official is “setting up a organized inner handle to plan for all conceivable results of the US presidential decisions,” but no advance subtle elements were given.
