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BRUSSELS / WASHINGTON • European leaders say they no longer have illusions about Donald Trump as they greet the US president at the NATO summit this week, but they fear that his "America First" agenda will force a moment of reflection
After seeking stability and familiarity in US foreign policy during the first year of his tenure, the American friends of the United States of America Europe ended up accepting the president as an unpredictable political insurgent. But that does not make it easier to see their own priorities undermined.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned in a recent speech that "the old pillars of reliability are crumbling", in a veiled hint to the US withdrawal from Iran of 2015 L & # 39; Former NATO government sent contradictory messages intensifying the escalation of the US military in Europe while complaining about NATO. members on defense spending and not coordinating on new sanctions on Moscow in 2017.
The US President – the de facto head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization nearly 70 years – indicated what will be his message to both Wednesday, the other governments must significantly increase military spending and lower import tariffs.
"I'm going to tell NATO: you have to start paying your bills," Trump said at a rally last week, adding, "They're killing us on the trade. "
US officials and politicians regularly say that Washington spends 70% of its defense budget on NATO, an assertion that is outright denied in Europe." A senior EU official said that figure is closer to 15% .European officials claim that EU tariffs on most US imports are already low.
A disastrous NATO summit could be worse than the one of the Group of Seven, last month, especially if a meeting is scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin.16 is more friendly, said NATO diplomats.
EU officials say that Mr. Trump does not seem to be interested in the solutions. that he ignored the high-level talks between EU envoys and officials of the US State Department and Commerce this year to avoid metal tariffs and keep Washington in the United States. agreement with Iran. Trump's requests. The defense budgets of European NATO members, Canada and Turkey are expected to increase by nearly 4% this year, a cumulative increase of nearly $ 90 billion ($ 122 billion) since 2015.
"There is a better chance than 50-50 that the President disrupts the NATO summit, probably by complaining again that the others are not wearing their" 1965-19002 Two senior diplomats of the NATO declared themselves ready to face the worst scenario that Mr Trump could announce, to freeze the US military exercises or to withdraw troops from the Baltic countries in a gesture towards Mr Putin
The decision of Mr Trump of May 8 to withdraw from the Iranian agreement was a serious setback that brought momentum "into European diplomacy.
It also shows that the EU's efforts to develop a relationship with the White House, including the high-level visits of French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have largely failed [19659012]. Japan and Moscow and Beijing help to keep money connected to the nuclear deal that arrives in Tehran. "We used to take a look at Trump's policies but now we are seeing the madness become strategic," said another European diplomat. "We must now look for all kinds of partners to achieve our goals."
REUTERS
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