Dutch Defense Minister Warns of Trump’s Unwillingness to Defend NATO Members Against Russian Attack

Dutch Defense Minister Ollongren said on the 12th that former US President Donald Trump’s comment that he might not defend NATO member states against a Russian attack was “exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to hear. .””. Photograph taken in October 2021 (2024 Reuters/Pascal Rossignol)

THE HAGUE/HELSINKI/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Dutch Defense Minister Ollongren said on Wednesday that former US President Donald Trump may not defend NATO member states against an attack by Russia. “This is exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to hear,” he said.

Mr Trump, who is likely to be the Republican candidate in the US presidential election in November, said at a campaign rally in the southern state of South Carolina on the 10th that he was asked by the leaders of the main NATO member countries. meeting with him in the past if his country would give money He mentioned that he was asked if the United States would protect him if he did not pay and was attacked by Russia. “I will not defend your (country). On the contrary, I will tell them to do whatever they want. The contributions must be paid,” he said. See more

“Our strength is our unity. If we are not united, we are weakened. That is what President Putin wants,” Ollongren told Reuters.

Noting that this was not the first time Trump had made such comments, he said, “Such comments from a leading figure are concerning when there are real threats to NATO members.”

President-elect Stub of Finland, which shares a border with Russia, said the rhetoric used in the US presidential election was harsh, but said that “Finland’s best policy is to remain calm and focus on joining NATO .”.

Prime Minister Kalas of Estonia, one of the three Baltic states, said Trump’s comments “will serve as a wake-up call to NATO members who have not contributed significantly to defense spending.”

The President of the European Parliament Metsola, who held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Karas, expressed the recognition that the European Union (EU) should increase its contributions to defence.

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