NATO chief says Trump comment "undermines all of our security"

Former President Donald Trump's suggestion that the United States should not support NATO allies who failed to conscionable their defence spending targets "undermines each of our security," NATO Secretary General Jans Stoltenberg said Sunday.

At a run lawsuit connected Saturday, Trump recounted a communicative helium told an unidentified NATO subordinate erstwhile asked astir his threats to not support allies who did not conscionable defence spending targets against an aggressor.

"'You didn't pay? You're delinquent? No, I would not support you. In fact, I would promote them to bash immoderate the hellhole they want. You gotta pay. You gotta wage your bills,'" Mr. Trump recounted saying.

In a written connection connected Sunday, Stoltenberg said, "NATO remains acceptable and capable to support each Allies. Any onslaught connected NATO volition beryllium met with a agreed and forceful response. Any proposition that allies volition not support each different undermines each of our security, including that of the U.S. and puts American and European soldiers astatine accrued risk. I expect that careless of who wins the statesmanlike election, the U.S. volition stay a beardown and committed NATO ally."

What are NATO defence spending targets?

NATO state countries are committed to spending at slightest 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) connected defence successful bid to guarantee their subject readiness. According to NATO information from 2023, 19 of NATO's 30 members are spending little than that, though astir NATO nations adjacent Ukraine, Russia oregon Russian state Belarus are spending much that 2% of their GDP connected defense.

Finland, Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each walk betwixt 2.3% and 2.7% of their GDP connected defense, portion Poland spends implicit 3.9%.

The U.S. spent 3.49% of its GDP connected defence spending successful 2023, according to NATO figures.

International response

President Biden condemned Trump's comments, saying "Donald Trump's admittance that helium intends to springiness Putin a greenish airy for much warfare and violence, to proceed his brutal battle against a escaped Ukraine, and to grow his aggression to the radical of Poland and the Baltic states, [is] appalling and dangerous."

EU overseas argumentation main Josep Borrell said Monday, "Let's beryllium serious. NATO cannot beryllium an a la carte subject alliance, it cannot beryllium a subject confederation that works depending connected the wit of the president of the U.S. time to day.

Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister, Pawel Zalewski, said Mr. Trump's comments were "very worrying."

"He correctly calls connected subordinate countries to walk much connected defense, but helium besides calls connected Russia to attack. This is wholly incomprehensible," Zalewski told the work POLITICO.

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said successful a connection connected societal media that, "the Transatlantic Alliance has underpinned the information and the prosperity of Americans, Canadians and Europeans for 75 years. Reckless statements connected NATO's information and Art 5 solidarity service lone Putin's interest. They bash not bring much information oregon bid to the world." Michel said that specified remarks "reemphasize the request for the EU to urgently further make its strategical autonomy and put successful its defense. And support our confederation strong."

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