The threat of Trump’s possible return to the White House has raised increasing doubts in Brussels about Washington’s continued commitment to the alliance.
On the occasion of start of NATO anniversary summit in WashingtonEuropean leaders were quick to reiterate their increased spending on the Alliance, while questions persist over the change of US presidency and the possible admission of Ukraine.
Before the start of the conference, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrellnoted that Europe had increased its contributions to the transatlantic alliance, but did not stop question the United States for his growing doubts about helping Ukraine.
“Let me remind you that Europe’s awakening – however necessary – should not imply that the United States should remain calm,” Borrell declared on Tuesday, before adding that Washington’s deliberation on the sending military support to kyiv came “with a bill (to pay) in terms of human lives lost.”
The President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, stated that “in the United States there is a debate that the United States is doing a lot to support Ukraine and that Europe is not doing enough. If we look at the figures, the reality is different. “Europe is doing more than the United States.” “We are taking security and defense seriously.”
The cutting comments from European leaders came as the US prepares for a elections in which current president Joe Biden will face former president and well-known NATO skeptic Donald Trump. Biden has made efforts to convince some members of his own party that he is the suitable candidate for the presidential race. Meanwhile, his re-election bid has been plagued by doubts about his mental acuity following a disastrous debate in which many said he underperformed.
The threat of a Trump’s possible return to the White House has raised increasing doubts in Brussels about the continuity of Washington’s commitment to the Alliance. Trump has previously shown himself critical of the pact and its members, threatening to abandon it if other countries do not increase their spending.
In a campaign speech in February, Trump stated that would encourage Russia to do “whatever they want” with NATO members that they did not meet their defense spending targets.
Confirmation that Europe was taking its contributions to NATO seriously was echoed by others during the start of the summit. Some leaders used social network X to express their support for the allianceincluding the recent nominee to replace Borrell in her role as EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas. “We must not be afraid of our own strength,” Kallas pointed out.
Admission of Ukraine to the Alliance
Elsewhere, countries tried to give guarantees that kyiv would eventually join the Atlantic Alliance. However, not until Russia’s war in Ukraine was over. The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony The blinkstated that Ukraine’s path towards NATO is “irreversible”, but stopped short of committing to a specific timetable.
Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg echoed Blinken’s words, telling reporters on Wednesday that Ukraine will join NATObut that it was “too early to say when it will happen.”
It is expected that a declaration of the 32 allies this Wednesday reaffirmed the alliance’s commitment to Ukraine, following pressure from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to clearly guarantee that Ukraine can join the alliance. However, some countries have opposed Ukraine’s accessionclaiming that it would open the risk of alliance allies being drawn into a broader war.
“Everyone is clear that Ukraine’s entry into NATO is still not a realistic option, since would carry the risk of a direct confrontation with Russia“, declared Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó.
