Donald Trump and the NATO summit: fear grows

F Just before the NATO summit in Brussels, Donald Trump sent a letter to all his allies, which he deems too infamous in terms of military spending. Then the US president simply combined the security architecture of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with the punitive tariffs of the trade war that was brewing. "Europeans kill us with trade, they kill us with NATO," Trump told fans in Montana and indirectly threatened withdrawal of troops in Germany.

Shortly before leaving for Europe, he even said: Nato, I have the UK – it's a hectic situation. "In addition," he has "Russian President Vladimir Putin." Frankly, Putin could be the simplest of all. "

Again, Trump demanded that other member states pay compensation to the United States. "Many of the NATO countries that we are supposed to be defending are not just lagging behind two percent (which is weak), but they have been lagging behind for many years on payments that are not enough. "Trump wrote on Twitter

Trump has repeatedly claimed that other allies owe money to the United States. In the military alliance, however, there is no contractual obligation to equalize the burden.

No wonder that after such announcements, nervousness in Brussels is growing almost every minute, Trump could make the summit a disaster. At the G-7 meeting in early June in Canada, the president departed prematurely and then announced his agreement to the joint statement via Twitter. All Allies now fear who could be the President in Brussels when and how stunned. All, including NATO members, are hoping for a good result from the summit. Finally, the work program is on the table for the next few years

At best, the protocol and practices of conference diplomacy bring a slight It is therefore common that during the main working session, the North Atlantic Council debate on Wednesday afternoon, all participants turned off their smartphones or even left the door. , no tweets, no precipitate withdrawal of consent, so hope. For this session from two and a half to three o'clock, the two important final documents must be accepted, one of the 34 pages and so rich in detail.

Relief also ensures that Trump, unlike his first visit to NATO in May 2017, does not give official speaking time.He is free to hold a press conference, as all the heads of government But time is not expected before the end of the two-day meeting. And who knows if Trump will stay so long? Because in Helsinki, the meeting with the president of the Kremlin, Putin, will take place on Monday. Also a "threshold", so a short explanation for the cameras on arrival, is not expected. Trump must be escorted by a side entrance of the pool reporter

In the previous year had a program point, which was considered by all as a clever idea, not the desired result. At that time, in addition to the new headquarters of NATO, a memorial site was inaugurated for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in which debris from the World Trade Center and remnants of the Berlin Wall are integrated. The place should serve as a symbol and warning for the mutual badistance of the NATO partners. Trump and Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) were invited to a welcome address, and of course everyone was waiting for the usual words about common values ​​and trust.

Merkel delivered as usual a stand-up drummer and described the financial participation of many NATO members as "not fair" to US taxpayers. He did not mention the article in the NATO treaty. The images of the heads of state and government who watched incredulously sad Trump went around the world. "We did not expect it," said a NATO representative afterwards.

The fundamental problem is that Trump does not understand NATO, lamented the US security expert, Malcolm Nance. The North Atlantic Alliance is not a country club like Trump's private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where you have to pay dues.

Currently, the erratic president is worried for months – and with the active participation of the Americans – could block statements prepared on the development of the content of the alliance. And that he could make his way prematurely under a lot of fanfare, in order to make unparalleled concessions to Crimea in a four-eyed conversation with Putin.

A Catastrophe It would also be if Trump was trying to link the issue of free trade with preparation for defense. For example, by preventing his troops from participating in NATO exercises if the EU does not suit him.

The former US Ambbadador to Germany, John Kornblum, warned Trump in the "Tagesspiegel" of the possible bad mood on arrival, In the end, relations with North Korea were further deteriorated after the president felt that he was a historic bridge builder for a few weeks. The development could negatively affect the NATO summit and the next meeting of Trump Putin, Kornblum: "It may be that it explodes in Helsinki."