NATO cannot be “an à la carte alliance”, said the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell on Monday, reacting to the words of Donald Trump who raised the possibility of no longer defending the countries of the Alliance whose financial contribution is insufficient.
” Be serious ! Be serious ! NATO cannot be an à la carte alliance,” Josep Borrell said before an EU ministerial meeting 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 angrily. “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, the former American president, who will probably face Joe Biden in the November presidential election, reported on Saturday a conversation he would have had with one of the heads of state of NATO, without naming it. “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? “, he said, before revealing his answer: “No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever they want. You have to pay your bills.”
Joe Biden reacted strongly: “The fact that Donald Trump admits that he intends to give the green light to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin for more war and violence, to continue his brutal assault on a free Ukraine and to expand his aggression to the people of Poland and the Baltic States is distressing and dangerous,” he said on Sunday.
“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. “NATO remains ready and capable of defending all Allies,” he insisted in a press release. “I am confident that the United States will remain a strong and committed NATO Ally, regardless of who wins the presidential election,” he added.
This article is originally published on .lorientlejour.com
