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BRUSSELS – President Donald Trump will attend a second day of NATO meetings as he continues to hammer member nations for their defense spending.
Trump, in a series of tweets from Brussels, said that "the presidents have tried unsuccessfully For years, Germany and other rich nations of NATO have paid more for to protect oneself from Russia. "
He complains that the United States" is paying tens of billions of dollars to subsidize Europe ". their commitment to devote 2% of GDP to the defense, which "must ultimately go up to 4%!"
Trump took an aggressive tone at the summit, questioning the value of an alliance that defined decades of US foreign policy, igniting an ally and proposing a mbadive increase in European defense spending.
Under the fire of critics for his warm welcome to Russia's Vladimir Putin, Trump on Wednesday highlighted Germany's close ties. Russia, claiming that a natural gas pipeline project with Moscow has left the government of Angela Merkel "totally controlled" and "captive" to Russia.
He continues the attack Thursday, complaining that "Germany has just started paying Russia, the country they"
"Not acceptable!", Did he quipped before arriving late at NATO headquarters for a morning of meetings that will include talks with NATO leaders Azerbaijan, Romania, Ukraine and Georgia. afternoon, he heads to his next stop: the United Kingdom
The hard rhetoric against a basic ally comes a few days before Trump meets one-on-one with Putin in Finland.
Trump questioned the need for the alliance that was a bulwark against the Soviet aggression, tweeting after a day of controversial meetings: "What good is NATO if Germany pays Russia? billions of dollars for gas and energy? "
he demanded by tweet that NATO countries" must pay IMMEDIATE ENT 2% of GDP, not by 2025 "and then slammed them by privately suggesting that member countries should spend 4% of their gross domestic product on defense. States currently pay, according to NATO statistics
. This is the latest in a series of demands and insults that, according to critics, will undermine a decades-old alliance launched to counterbalance Soviet aggression. And it just happens a few days before Trump sits down with Putin at the end of his closely watched European trip.
Trump spent weeks criticizing members of the alliance for not spending enough money on defense, accusing Europe of the United States raised doubts as to the eventual defense of the members if they were attacked.
He described the current situation as "disproportionate and unfair to US taxpayers".
However, an official summit The statement by NATO leaders reaffirmed Wednesday their "unwavering commitment" to the 2% pledge announced in 2014 and made no reference to any effort to achieve 4%
Merkel, who grew up in Germany back that she had "experienced myself a part of Germany controlled by the Soviet Union, and I am very happy today that we are united in freedom as the Federal Republic of Germany and can therefore say that we can determine In the midst of this uproar, the Prime Minister British minister, Theresa May, launched an appeal for solidarity among allies, saying, "As we engage Russia, we must do it from a position of unity and strength – which offer the hope of a brighter future, but which are also clear and unshakeable where Russia has to to change his behavior so that it becomes a reality. And as long as Russia persists in undermining our interests and values, we must continue to deter and counter them.
From Brussels, Trump travels to England, where May's government is boiling European Union
Although government officials point to the long-standing alliance between states United Kingdom and the Trump route will move it away from central London, where significant protests are expected.
Events – a dinner with business leaders, a meeting with May and an audience with Queen Elizabeth II – will take place outside the bustling city, where Mayor Sadiq Khan participated in a verbal battle with Trump
– [19659002] Follow Colvin and Lemire on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj and https://twitter.com/JonLemire
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