Trump claims that Germany is "controlled" by Russia for a pipeline project

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that a gas pipeline project had made Germany "totally controlled" and "captivated Russia" at a combative breakfast on Wednesday that had kicked the bank down. 39, sending an already coveted NATO summit

. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has disputed that the United States protects Germany when the European nation concludes agreements with Russia.

The president seems to be talking about the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that will bring gas from Russia to the north-east Baltic coast. bypbading the countries of Eastern Europe such as Poland and Ukraine and doubling the amount of gas that Russia can send directly to Germany. The vast submarine pipeline is being countered by the United States and some other EU members, who warn that Moscow could give more weight to Western Europe.

Trump, in a message to Germany, asks why the United States "Germany is totally controlled by Russia"

"You tell me, is this appropriate?" He asked, adding that: "Germany is totally controlled by Russia."

He later said that "Germany, as far as I am concerned, is captive to Russia" and urged NATO to look into the matter. Trump was to see German Chancellor Angela Merkel later in the day

In response to Trump's remarks, Merkel also defended her country's contribution to the alliance, which according to Trump placed too much burden on the American taxpayer, and said: "Germany does a lot for NATO. "

" Germany is the second largest troop supplier, the bulk of our military capability is available to NATO and up to today, we have a strong commitment to Afghanistan, also defending the interests of the United States. "said Merkel.

Donald Trump, on the right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Brussels after the US leader publicly castigated his country's long-time ally for national defense spending and a Russian oil pipeline [19659008]

] Stoltenberg also rejected, pointing out that NATO members have been able to work together despite their differences.

The dramatic exchange set the tone for what was already awaited a tense day of meetings with the leaders of the military alliance. Trump is expected to continue hammering NATO allies over their military spending during the summit, which comes in increasingly rampant relations between the US president and the traditional allies. the nearest United States

Trump said arriving at breakfast that the situation is not fair to the United States taxpayers, but we will make it fair. "

" They will spend more, "he later predicted." I am very confident that they will spend more. "

US President Donald Trump is greeted by the Secretary General of the United States. NATO Jens Stoltenberg before a bilateral breakfast before the NATO summit in Brussels Trump disputed that the United States protects Germany when the European nation enters into agreements with Russia. (Kevin Lamarque / Reuters)

Trump and Merkel then held what the US president called a "big meeting." He said they discussed investment and defense trade, adding : "We
have a huge relationship with Germany."

Merkel said that she raised issues of migration and economic development with Trump to achieve their agreed goal of devoting two to hundred of their gross domestic products to the national defense of i 2024 and accused those who do not to liberate the United States

"Many NATO countries, which we are supposed to defend, are not only below their current commitment of 2% ( which is weak), but are also late for many years in payments that have not been made, "he tweeted Tuesday en route to Europe. ? "

This is not how it works, the two percent represent the amount each country intends to spend on its own behalf, and not a kind of direct payment to it. NATO or the United States.

NATO estimates that 15 members, or a little over During its campaign, Trump has described NATO as "outdated" and hinted that the United States could not defend the members if they were attacked – a change that would represent a fundamental realignment of the modern world order.He also called Brussels a "hole in hell" and "a mess." Trump has moderated his language somewhat since taking office, but has continued to dwell on the issue, even though many NATO members have agreed to spend more. [19659002] Stoltenberg credited Trump for encouraging NATO countries to spend more, he said. that last year's increases were the largest in a generation. "Because of me, they have raised about $ 40 billion over the past year, so I think the general secretary likes Trump, he may be the only one, but I do not mind."

Trump was also attending a welcoming ceremony, a meeting of the North Atlantic Council and a working dinner with some of the same leaders that he had reprimanded at the last world leaders' summit in New York. Canada last month.

the first stop of a weeklong European tour that will include stops in London and Scotland, as well as a much-awaited meeting with Russian Vladimir Putin.

Trump predicted leaving Washington that the easiest part of his trip would be his scheduled rendezvous with Putin – a comment that did not really rebadure the worried allies of his potential embrace. A Russian leader US intelligence officials are interfering in the 2016 elections to help Trump win.

The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, rejected Trump's constant criticism of European allies and urged him to remember his friends when he met Putin in Helsinki

"Dear America, appreciate your allies, after all you do not have all this," he says.