Trump triggered uproar throughout Europe after telling a crowd throughout a weekend marketing campaign cease in South Carolina that he would “encourage” Russia to invade NATO allies who’re “delinquent,” saying: “You gotta pay. You gotta pay your payments.”
Tusk, who arrived in Berlin to fulfill Scholz after seeing French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris earlier within the day, mentioned that “regardless” of what Trump says, “it’s actually in our frequent European curiosity that each one NATO member states instantly and clearly enhance the funding of protection” capabilities.
“That is actually obligatory and never as a result of Donald Trump mentioned so, however fairly objectively,” Tusk added. “We’ve got to maintain enhancing our protection potential ourselves and this European a part of NATO has to take a extra decided stand. I might attempt to persuade all European companions in NATO of this.”
European leaders have in latest weeks more and more fretted over the safety implications of a doable second Trump presidency. However the former president’s feedback over the weekend have added a larger sense of urgency to already ongoing European debates about attaining larger strategic autonomy from the U.S.
“I am actually satisfied that these phrases from Donald Trump ought to act as a chilly bathe for all of us, particularly for individuals who should not so conscious of this actual menace that we face, or do not take it very critically,” mentioned Tusk in Berlin. “We actually should hope for full cooperation from the US, however Europe should additionally spend money on its personal safety.”
