ALBAWABA - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has reacted to former US President Donald Trump's remarks, cautioning that allies failing to meet their financial commitments to NATO might not be defended in the event of a Russian attack.
Stoltenberg, in an interview with Norwegian TV channel TV2, stated, "Any suggestion that allies won't support each other would harm our security. Regardless of the presidential election outcome, I expect the US to remain a strong and loyal NATO ally."
The EU also voiced its concerns over Trump's comments. European Council President Charles Michel, in a message on his X account, assessed, "Bold statements about NATO's security and Article 5 solidarity only serve Putin's interests."
Michel stressed the need for the EU to boost its strategic independence and invest in defense capabilities in response to such remarks.
Trump's statement about "not protecting NATO members failing to meet defense spending" came during a speech in South Carolina, where he claimed to have issued warnings during his presidency that any Russian attack on non-compliant allies would not be stopped.
