Scholz considers Trump's attempt to relativize NATO's assistance guarantee “irresponsible and dangerous”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday sharply rejected former US President Donald Trump's comments that he would not defend NATO allies that do not reach 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in defense spending if he returns. to the White House after the November presidential elections.

“Any relativization of NATO's assistance guarantee is irresponsible and dangerous,” Scholz said at a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin, in which he recalled the importance of NATO's common defense clause. the organization: “All for one and one for all.”

These statements respond “solely to the interests of Russia,” Scholz criticized.

“No one should play or negotiate with the security of Europe,” he added during the appearance at the Berlin Chancellery, in which he insisted that NATO is based on the principle that “every centimeter of NATO land will be defended.” something that “everyone can trust that it will be so.”

Tusk pointed in the same direction as his German colleague, but took the opportunity to emphasize that, regardless of Trump's words, all NATO members must increase their defense spending.

“I am convinced that Trump's words should be like a cold shower for all of us,” declared the Polish Prime Minister, recalling that his country has already reached the goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense.

“The lesson we can draw from the attack on Ukraine is that no one doubts that we must improve our defensive potential.

Europe must be able to face any challenge,” he added.

In this way, Tusk insisted on the need to “systematically increase defense efforts within NATO in the coming years.”

All of this regardless of the election results that occur in the fall in the United States, he added.

A strong EU militarily

Tusk thus took advantage of his first visit to Berlin after being sworn in last December to remember the importance of the European Union being “not only an economic power, but also a military one.”

“The EU cannot be weak in the military field.”

The German Chancellor recalled, for his part, the extraordinary allocation of 100 billion euros announced last year, which will make it possible to achieve in 2024 for the first time in more than three decades the NATO objective of 2% of GDP in defense spending and which had already been highlighted a few hours earlier during the groundbreaking ceremony for a new ammunition factory of the Rheinmetall arms company.

“It is an urgent need.

As harsh as this reality is, we do not live in times of peace.

Russia's war of aggression and Putin's imperial ambitions, which he is openly expressing, are a major threat to the European peace order.

In this situation, if you want peace, you have to successfully deter potential aggressors,” he declared to those responsible for the new factory.

The appearance of the two European leaders thus focused on the statements of the almost certain Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States Donald Trump, who said last weekend that he will “encourage” Russia to “do whatever it wants.” against any NATO country that, in its opinion, does not spend enough on collective defense.

These statements were also harshly criticized by the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who also described them as “irresponsible” and “playing into Russia's hands.”

“And no one in our alliance can have any interest in it.”

The former US president had already repeated in the past that it was unfair that the United States had to take responsibility for the defense of the other 30 member states.

In particular, he criticized Europeans for not spending enough on weapons.

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