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EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell: Trump's statements are "frightening and dangerous"

Photo: Roman Pilipey / AFP

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has sharply criticized former US President Donald Trump for his recent statements about NATO's duty to provide assistance. The Western defense alliance “cannot be an à la carte military alliance that depends on the whim of the US president,” said Borrell. Trump's statements were "terrifying and dangerous," the Spaniard continued. The NATO states cannot say “yes today and no tomorrow” when it comes to defending the alliance. "It exists or it doesn't exist," he said.

The 77-year-old Trump, who wants to run again in the US presidential election in November, said at a campaign rally that as president he would not protect NATO allies who do not spend enough on their own defense from a possible Russian invasion. At a rally in the US state of South Carolina on Saturday, Trump reported on an unspecified meeting with the president of a NATO state. "One of the presidents of a major country stood up and said, 'Well, sir, if we don't pay and we get attacked by Russia, will you protect us?'"

"I said, 'You haven't paid, you're in default?'" Trump reported. In that case he will not protect the country. He would even encourage Russia to do “whatever they want,” said Trump.

Trump has already threatened to withdraw US protection

During his first term in office, Trump threatened European allies with withdrawing US protection and demanded that the partners finally implement the commitment made by NATO members in 2014 to spend two percent of their economic output on defense. The federal government has emphasized several times that Germany will achieve this this year. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) said that this level would also be guaranteed beyond 2028.

Trump's statement had already caused outrage over the weekend. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned that any suggestion that the states in the alliance would not defend each other would undermine the security of all members. A Polish government official said before Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's visit to Paris and Berlin: "Europe has to pull itself together (...) it's about answering the question of what will happen if Trump wins. We don't have time, we have to increase the capacity of the defense industry," he said.

col/AFP/Reuters