Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 12 July 2018

Trump Rattles Nato, knocking its value , assailing Germany

By JONATHAN LEMIRE up their spending.
JILL COLVIN Stoltenberg, for his part,
Associated Press credited Trump for spur-
BRUSSELS (AP) — In a com- ring NATO nations to spend
bative start to his NATO visit, more on defense, noting
President Donald Trump as- that the Europeans and
serted Wednesday that a Canada are projected to
pipeline project has made spend around $266 billion
Germany “totally con- more by 2024.
trolled” by and “captive to “We all agree that we have
Russia” and blasted NATO to do more,” he said, de-
allies’ defense spending, scribing last year as mark-
opening what was expect- ing the biggest increase in
ed to be a fraught summit defense spending across
with a list of grievances in- Europe and Canada in a
volving American allies. generation.
Trump, in a testy exchange Trump interjecting, asking
with NATO Secretary Gen- Stoltenberg why he thought
eral Jens Stoltenberg, took that had happened. Arriv-
issue with the U.S. protect- ing for his meeting, Trump
ing Germany when the had taken credit for the
European nation is making U.S. President Donald Trump, listens to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, during their spending, telling the NATO
deals with Russia. bilateral breakfast, Wednesday July 11, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. chief that “because of me
“I have to say, I think it’s very Associated Press they’ve raised about $40
sad when Germany makes is captive to Russia” and enough, especially some. en route to Europe, ask- billion over the last year. So
a massive oil and gas deal urged NATO to look into So we’re going to have a ing: “Will they reimburse the I think the secretary general
with Russia where we’re the issue. Trump, who has meeting on that,” Trump U.S.?” likes Trump. He may be the
supposed to be guarding been accused of being too said as he arrived at the That’s not how the spending only one, but that’s OK with
against Russia,” Trump said cozy with Putin — a man breakfast, describing the words. The 2 percent rep- me.” Trump was also partic-
during a breakfast with Stol- accused of U.S. election situation as “disproportion- resents the amount each ipating in a welcome cer-
tenberg, his first event since meddling — was expected ate and not fair to the tax- country aims to spend on emony, a meeting of the
arriving in Brussels. “We’re to see German Chancellor payers of the United States its own defense, not some North Atlantic Council and
supposed to protect you Angela Merkel later in the and we’re going to make it kind of direct payment to a working dinner with some
against Russia but they’re day. Stoltenberg pushed fair.” NATO or the U.S. of the same leaders he be-
paying billions of dollars to back, stressing that NATO “They will spend more,” he NATO estimates that 15 rated over trade during his
Russia and I think that’s very members have been able later predicted. “I have members, or just over half, last world leaders summit in
inappropriate.” to work together despite great confidence they’ll be will meet the benchmark Canada last month.
The president appeared their differences. spending more.” by 2024 based on current Brussels is the first stop of a
to be referring to the Nord The dramatic exchange Trump has been pushing trends. week-long European tour
Stream 2 pipeline that set the tone for what was NATO members to reach During his campaign, that will include stops in
would bring gas from Rus- already expected to be a their agreed-to target of Trump called NATO “ob- London and Scotland, as
sia to Germany’s northeast- tense day of meetings with spending 2 percent of their solete” and suggested the well as a highly anticipated
ern Baltic coast, bypassing leaders of the military alli- gross domestic products on U.S. might not come to the meet with Russia’s Vladimir
Eastern European nations ance. Trump is expected national defense by 2024 defense of members if they Putin.
like Poland and Ukraine to continue hammering jit- and has accused those found themselves under at- Trump predicted as he de-
and doubling the amount tery NATO allies about their who don’t of freeloading tack — a shift that would parted Washington that the
of gas Russia can send di- military spending during off the U.S. represent a fundamental “easiest” leg of his journey
rectly to Germany. The the summit meeting, which “Many countries in NATO, realignment of the modern would be his scheduled sit-
vast undersea pipeline is comes amid increasingly which we are expected to world order. He also called down Putin — a comment
opposed by the U.S. and frayed relations between defend, are not only short Brussels a “hell hole” and “a that did little to reassure al-
some other EU members, the “America first” presi- of their current commit- mess.” Trump has moderat- lies fretting over his poten-
who warn it could give dent and the United States’ ment of 2% (which is low), ed his language somewhat tial embrace of a Russian
Moscow greater leverage closest traditional allies. but are also delinquent for since taking office, but has leader U.S. intelligence offi-
over Western Europe. “The United States is pay- many years in payments continued to dwell on the cials accuse of meddling in
Trump said that, “Germany, ing far too much and other that have not been made,” issue, even as many NATO the 2016 elections to help
as far as I’m concerned, countries are not paying he tweeted Tuesday while members have agreed to Trump win.q