WASHINGTON – National security adviser Mike Waltz on Tuesday called for European countries to “strengthen” defence spending to 5% of GDP, giving birth to NATO allies on the eve of key Ukraine-Russia peace talks in the UK, and threatening President Trump’s administration to leave.
Waltz In the interview Tuesday in “The Voice of Real America” highlighted how Trump called for defence spending to rise from the “lowest” of 2% of GDP in his first semester. It has since been made clear that Europe must prepare to meet its own security needs in all countries that meet the 5% threshold.
“President Trump says, ‘No.’ In other words, make-up is necessary. “And as you know, the key pillar of this is that Europe is taking the initiative for its own safety.”
Some European countries did not meet a 2% defensive spending level in Trump’s first term – before asking NATO countries to pony twice that amount in 2018.
Waltz especially knocked Canada as he promised to hike his own security budget.
“He intends to continue demanding that 5% of GDP head towards a big NATO summit this year,” the national security adviser confirmed.
“And that’s when you see a country like Canada that you promised to do at least 2% 10 years ago and you’re not there yet, and say that in 10 years from now, at least that will happen.”
As of last year, NATO defence spending levels Approximately 2.7% hovering Average GDP.
A tough order from Trump’s national security adviser discussed the US’s proposed peace plan to end a three-year war with Ukraine before foreign leaders met in London on Wednesday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned last Friday that the US would “move ahead” from “day-to-day” peace talks if an agreement could not be reached, but at the final moment he refused to attend, replaced by a Ukrainian envoy and replaced by Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg.
Earlier on Wednesday, President Trump denounced Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky for “very difficult to resolve this war” by issuing a statement opposed to the conditions of the “final offer” peace plan in 2014, which the US officially admitted to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
“This statement is extremely harmful to peace negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion,” the president posted to his true society.
“No one asks Zelenki to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, but if they want Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it when they were handed over to Russia without being fired?”
Officials from the senior administration told the Post that recognition of the Crimea as Russian territory would be a major foreign policy change. And it could potentially oppose the Wells Declaration.
Under the agreement, Russian occupation of the eastern territory of Ukraine, the pledge that it would prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, the end of several economic sanctions against Russia, and the promise of cooperation with the US on energy and industrial projects will also be “effectively” recognized.
In contrast, if a ceasefire is agreed, Ukraine will gain “robust security guarantees” if it returns from part of Kharkiv’s territory, which has returned from Russian occupation, the frontlines of post-war conflict and the frontlines of economic aid and cross-border navigation rights.
White House spokesman Caroline Leavitt said Wednesday that he remains “frustrated” in peace talks due to what Trump called Zelensky’s “inflammatory statement.”
“His advisor, the president’s national security team, exude considerable time, energy and effort to end this war,” Leavitt said.
“American taxpayers have funded billions of dollars in this effort, and enough is enough. The president is frustrated. His patience runs very thin. He wants to do the right thing for the world. He wants to see peace.
However, when asked whether the US would leave negotiations on Wednesday whether Zelensky would not sign the agreement, Leavitt added:
Elsewhere in his interview, Waltz also touted the success of diplomatic consultations with Israeli neighbouring states to build a historic Abrahamic agreement signed during Trump’s first term.
“President Trump has eliminated 74 terrorist leaders that the Biden administration hasn’t been chasing,” the national security adviser said. “You’re incredible accomplishment in just a few months, along with the 45 Americans being held hostage by various administrations and groups around the world that he brought home.”
“Americans should sleep well at night,” he added. “We’ll see the results that President Trump is getting in just three months. The mainstream media doesn’t want to talk about them.”
