NATO cannot be “an à la carte alliance”, said Monday the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, reacting to Donald Trump’s remarks who raised the possibility of no longer defending the Alliance countries whose contribution financial is insufficient.
” Be serious ! Be serious ! NATO cannot be an à la carte alliance,” said Josep Borrell before a ministerial meeting of the European Union in Brussels.
“In the times we live in, a military alliance cannot function according to the mood of the President of the United States, it is not: ‘yes, no, tomorrow, no, it depends’. Let’s go ! NATO either exists or it doesn’t exist,” he said.
“During this (American electoral) campaign, we are going to see and hear a lot of things (…) Don’t count on me to comment on all the stupid ideas that will be expressed during a national campaign in the United States,” he said. -he warned.
During a meeting in South Carolina, Donald Trump reported a conversation he had with one of the NATO heads of state, without naming him.
“One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said: ‘Sir, if we don’t pay and we are attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’” says ex-Republican president before revealing his response: “No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever they want. You have to pay your bills.”
These statements also provoked a reaction from American President Joe Biden, who described these remarks as “distressing and dangerous”.
“Any suggestion that Allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the United States, and places American and European soldiers at increased risk,” said the Secretary General. of NATO Jens Stoltenberg.
This article is originally published on lesoir.be
