NATO chief condemns Trump remarks — RT World News
The former US president had challenged Washington's NATO allies over their failure to pay their share of the bloc's defenses
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned in a statement on Sunday that former US President Donald Trump's insulting statements regarding NATO members' failure to pay their share of the bloc's defense costs put the entire alliance at risk.
“Any suggestion that allies will not stand up for each other undermines our entire security, including that of the United States, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk.” He said again that the mass remains “Ready and able to defend all allies.”
Any attack on a NATO member state would result in… “Unified and strong response” Stoltenberg pledged.
He added: “I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the United States will remain a strong and committed ally in NATO.” he added.
Speaking to a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump suggested that Washington might leave a NATO member who has not paid his membership dues to fend for himself in the event of an attack, in order to teach a lesson about fiscal responsibility.
“You didn't pay?” Are you a delinquent? The former president referred to addressing the nation, which he did not name. “No, I won't protect you. In fact, I would encourage [Russia] Let them do whatever the hell they want. You have to pay. You have to pay your bills.”
NATO members pledged in 2014 to spend 2% of their GDP on defense by 2025. Only 10 of the bloc's 30 members have met those commitments, and 13 of them were spending 1.5% of GDP or less as of last year, according to their own estimates. .
While much of the media discussion of Trump's supposed threat portrayed it as a challenge to the Baltics and Poland, Warsaw actually led the bloc in defense contributions by percentage last year, at 3.9% of its GDP — more than Washington's 3.49% donation. . Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia each donated more than 2% last year as well, putting them all beyond the reach of any threat of a misstep in mutual defense under another Trump presidency.
However, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed concern about “hot war” On his country's border with Ukraine, wondering whether the United States would attend He added: “Full solidarity with other NATO countries in this confrontation, which is expected to continue for a long time, with Russia.”
His words echoed those of Stoltenberg in an interview with German newspaper Die Welt on Sunday, in which the NATO chief urged members to increase arms production to wartime levels in order to prepare for a possible war. “Confrontation” With Moscow “This could last for decades.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied that his country is interested in attacking any NATO country, even Poland or the Baltic states. Last week, he told journalist Tucker Carlson that it was Western governments instead “They are trying to intimidate their population with a fake Russian threat.”
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