First Trump threat all by himself, then he praises his allies

Donald Trump at the hastily held news conference in Brussels. Previously, he reportedly threatened his NATO partner behind closed doors. (Image: Sean Gallup / Getty Images)

(dpa) US President Donald Trump has promised to continue to support NATO. The United States remained very attached to the Alliance, Trump said Thursday after a crisis meeting at the NATO summit in front of reporters in Brussels. The press conference had been scheduled after Trump had openly threatened to open the United States on defense issues behind closed doors. According to the diplomats, if the Allies did not immediately spend 2% of their gross domestic product on defense, the Americans would do their own thing.

After Trump's remarks, the 29 Allies met for a special session. Trump publicly did not want to repeat his threat after the crisis meeting. Instead, he praised the previously announced increases in their defense budgets by the Allies, including Germany. The crisis meeting had a great collegial spirit, he said. What was discussed at the beginning, is not clear at first. Chancellor Angela Merkel did not comment on the details, but she simply said that there had been a "very serious discussion". Trump said in general terms: "I have great respect for Germany."

Serious threat?

If Trump was serious about his threat and what he plans to do in case of non-compliance with his claim remains unanswered for the moment. Theoretically, for example, there could be a reduction in the US commitment to NATO – for example, by withdrawing troops stationed in Europe to deter Russia. In the most radical case, however, it could even break with NATO.

At the top, Germany had previously refused to make far-reaching commitments to increase defense spending. The federal government wants to increase the rate to 2024 only 1.5% of GDP. She points out that the NATO countries in 2014 had simply agreed to go in the direction of two percent by 2024.

The President of the United States believes that this is completely inadequate . Trump lamented an unfair burden sharing and attacked Germany for months. According to diplomats, he also spoke several times to Chancellor Merkel on Thursday morning

According to the latest NATO forecasts, next to the United States in 2018, only Greece, the United Kingdom, Poland , Romania and the three Baltic countries reach the target of two percent. In 1965, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis threatened, shortly after Trump's inauguration, to reduce his commitment to NATO if his allies spent their defense spending. does not increase significantly. But he quickly stated that this would not compromise the US support obligation

Trump's attitude towards Crimea

At the NATO summit, Trump did not decide if the United States would recognize the Russian annexation of Crimea. Trump responded Thursday to a similar question at the closing press conference in Brussels

The annexation of the Black Sea Peninsula in 2014 was held under the chairmanship of his predecessor, Barack Obama. He would not have allowed it, and he was "not happy," Trump said. "What's going on from that moment, I can not say it," he added.

Trump plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland on Monday. In the United States, it is feared that he will make too much concessions to the Kremlin.