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Sigmar Gabriel, former Federal Foreign Minister. D
Photo: Reiner Zensen / IMAGO
A statement by US presidential candidate Donald Trump about NATO's obligation to provide assistance is causing international concern - including among German foreign policy experts. "Donald Trump's erroneous statements about the US's contractual obligations in the event of an attack on a NATO member prove once again how unpredictable, unscrupulous and unreliable he is," said the German government's transatlantic coordinator, Michael Link (FDP), to the "Tagesspiegel". «. Former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the statement was like an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to test the defense alliance. "He won't test us in Germany, but perhaps in the Baltics," warned Gabriel on Deutschlandfunk.
Former US President Trump said at a campaign event in the state of South Carolina that the "president of a great country" once asked him whether the US would still protect this country from Russia even if it did not pay for defense spending. He replied: "No, I wouldn't protect you." In fact, he would "even encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want." It was unclear whether there had ever been such a conversation between Trump and a head of state, because the Republican also said: "Let's assume that happened."
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Gabriel recalled that Trump had made similar statements in the past. The new statement fits his understanding of politics. Trump is trying to make deals. »What he says isn't all that new. And the problem with that is that there is some truth in it.” It is not correct to explain why the USA contributes more to Europe's security than the Europeans themselves, even though both economies are of similar size. "Still, you can't handle an alliance like that," Gabriel said. The USA is the leading power in NATO.
The CDU foreign politician Norbert Röttgen made a similar statement. A Trump victory in the US presidential election in the fall would plunge NATO into an existential crisis because Trump understands the defense alliance in a transactional way, he told “Bild”. “Anyone who, in their opinion, does not pay enough will not be protected by the USA.” Germany must therefore “understand that we will soon have no choice but to defend ourselves, at a time when Europe is There is war. We have to do this as Europeans because anything else would be a capitulation to Putin.”
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