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Katarina Barley (SPD): “We have to take Putin’s threats seriously”
Photo: Jonas Walzberg / dpa
Katarina Barley doubts that Europe is safely protected by the US nuclear umbrella. "In view of Donald Trump's recent statements, we can no longer rely on this," said the SPD's top candidate for the European elections to the "Tagesspiegel". When asked whether the EU needed its own nuclear bombs, the SPD politician replied: "That could also become an issue on the way to a European army."
Currently, the nuclear deterrent for Europe lies with NATO, said Barley. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg correctly remarked that it was still in the USA's interest to "provide this significantly."
If the United States ceases to be an arms supplier to Ukraine in the future, Barley sees Europe as having a duty. "If that really happens, Europe will have to take on this responsibility," she said. »We have to take Putin's threats seriously and behave accordingly. When Putin publicly doubts the territorial integrity of Poland and Lithuania, it shows how vigilant we must be.
"No, I wouldn't protect you"
At the weekend, Trump questioned NATO's duty to provide assistance and said he would not protect NATO partners if he were re-elected. At a campaign event in the US state of South Carolina, the Republican said that the "president of a great country" had once asked him whether the US would protect the country from Russia 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."
Trump's statements from Washington about Brussels and Berlin caused outrage internationally.
czl/AFP