Europe has been alarmed by former US President Donald Trump’s message to NATO member states that have failed to meet their defense spending targets. The governments of Poland, France and Germany pledged to strengthen ties with each other, while Germany called for an urgent increase in mass weapons production.
Former US President Donald Trump, who is expected to run again in the presidential elections in November, made a bombshell statement last Saturday that alarmed Europe.
I WILL ENCOURAGE MOSCOW TO ATTACK
Emphasizing that the United States will not protect NATO member states that fail to meet their defense spending targets when he becomes president, Donald Trump said he would do nothing if these countries were attacked by Russia and would even ‘encourage’ Moscow to do so.
BIG WORRY IN EUROPE: WHAT IF HE WINS…
Biden also reacted to the statement, which the White House described as ‘appalling’, and accused Trump of ‘bowing to Putin’.
The Republican presidential candidate’s announcement has shaken Europe. While Joe Biden’s advancing age and memory problems were on the national agenda before the upcoming US elections, the possibility of Trump’s victory in the elections was met with concern by European leaders.
GERMANY: URGENTLY INCREASE WEAPON PRODUCTION
At the groundbreaking ceremony for a new ammunition factory run by German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that ‘we no longer live in times of peace’ and said Europe must urgently increase mass arms production.
“No one can play with Europe’s security,” Scholz said. “Those who want peace must be able to successfully deter aggressors.”
POLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY CHALLENGED: ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE
Olaf Scholz’s statement comes just after the governments of Poland, France and Germany pledged to strengthen ties with each other.
“There is no reason why we should be militarily weaker than Russia and that is why it is absolutely indisputable our priority to increase production and intensify our cooperation,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who met with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said in Paris yesterday;
“One for all, all for one”
Macron stressed that Europe’s support for Ukraine is vital.
UNUSUALLY TOUGH RESPONSE FROM STOLTENBERG
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg responded to Trump in unusually strong language, saying: ‘Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all our security, including in the United States.
A senior NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described Trump’s statement as ‘an attack on the spirit of the alliance’.
“EUROPE IS NOW ON ITS OWN”
The US New York Times newspaper made a striking claim in its analysis of the issue and said, “European leaders were already mulling the possibility of an alliance without the United States. Trump’s statement on NATO could force Europe to go it alone.”
Politico, on the other hand, wrote that Trump had done Europe ‘a favor’ and added: “Europe can now stand alone and finally be realistic about defending itself.”
“Europe must rush to defend itself against Russia and Donald Trump,” The Economist wrote.
