Donald Trump says that Germany is "totally controlled by Russia"

US President Donald Trump launched a public attack against Germany on Wednesday for backing a gas pipeline agreement with Russia in the Baltic Sea, declaring that Berlin had become "a captive of Russia". He also reiterated his criticism of Germany for not having increased defense spending.

million. Trump, meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, before the NATO summit in Brussels, said that it was "very inappropriate" that the United States Germany , the largest European economy, supported gas agreements with Moscow

M. Trump was to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the summit later in the day and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday

Berlin gave political support for the construction of a new 9 billion gas pipeline. 39; euros to route Russian gas through the Baltic Sea, called Nord Stream 2, despite the reluctance of other EU Member States. However, Dr. Merkel insists that the project is a private commercial enterprise and is not funded by German taxpayers.

"When Germany concludes a huge oil deal with Russia," said Mr Trump in Stoltenberg. "We are supposed to guard against Russia and Germany goes out and pays billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia."

"We protect Germany, we protect France, we protect all these countries … And then many countries come out and conclude a pipeline agreement with Russia, where they pour billions of dollars into the coffers. from Russia.

"So, we are supposed to protect you from Russia and you pay billions of dollars Russia and I think it's very inappropriate," said Mr. Trump at the residence of the United States. US Ambbadador to Brussels

"Germany will have nearly 70% of its country controlled by Russia with natural gas. You tell me, is it appropriate? "He asked, while Mr. Stoltenberg listened.

" Germany is totally controlled by Russia because it receives 60 to 70% of its energy from Russia and a new pipeline ", said US President

Mr. Stoltenberg, former Prime Minister of Norway, stressed that NATO allies in Europe disagreed over ways to reduce the continent's dependence on Russian gas. [19659002MrTrumprenewedhiscalltootherNATOalliestopaymoretotheWesternalliancehesaidenduringan"unfair"shareofmilitaryspending

"I think these countries should intensify it, not over a period of 10 years, they must intensify it immediately. Germany is a rich country, they talk about increasing it a little bit by 2030. Well, they could increase it immediately, tomorrow, and they have no problem, "said Mr. Trump

" If you look at this, Germany is captive. from Russia. They got rid of their coal plants, they got rid of their nuclear energy, they get so much oil and gas from Russia. I think it's something that NATO has to look at. It's very inappropriate. "- Reuters