German and Polish leaders on Monday condemned former President Donald Trump for criticizing Russia for not fulfilling its obligations to the alliance, but one Pole later warned his country would start rolling up the cloth. He pointed out that he was deaf.
“NATO’s protection commitments are without limits: all for one and one for all. Relativizing mutual defense guarantees is irresponsible and dangerous,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement. mentioned in.
“No one is allowed to engage in or do business with European security. We will strengthen NATO for the security of Europe,” he said, without directly naming Trump. It was clear to whom he was speaking.
Scholz then confirmed the country’s continued plans to significantly increase defense spending to meet NATO obligations, which he mentioned last year.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also condemned Trump’s comments, even though his country was already fulfilling its obligations.
“These words from Donald Trump should have the effect of a cold shower on all those who consistently underestimate this increasingly real threat facing Europe,” Tusk said. Ta. According to Bloomberg.
“We need to strengthen our defense capabilities, and NATO’s European region is particularly determined on this issue.”
On Saturday, during a rally in Conway, South Carolina, President Trump aired longstanding frustrations with NATO, complaining that most member states are not spending the required 2% of their gross domestic product on defense.
“I said, ‘Everyone will pay.’ They said, ‘If we don’t pay, will you protect us?’ I said, “Absolutely not.” They couldn’t believe the answer,” President Trump claimed during the rally.
President Trump then claimed that “one of the presidents of a great power” asked him if “the United States would get help from Russia if we didn’t pay.”
Trump recalled responding, “‘No, I’m not going to protect you.'” “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever they want to do. You have to pay. You have to pay the bills.”
In 2022, only seven of the then 30 NATO member states met the 2% threshold. According to its annual report It was released last year. Finland later joined the alliance, bringing the number of member states to 31.
