Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski expressed serious concern about the plans of former US President Donald Trump regarding the further functioning of NATO.
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“Once again, we are hearing troubling news from overseas about the possible future of transatlantic relations. At one of his campaign rallies, Donald Trump – former president and likely Republican candidate for the same post in this year’s elections – shared with the public the story of conversation he allegedly had with the leader of a NATO country, who asked Trump if he would help another NATO member if that country “didn’t pay and was attacked by Russia.” Trump replied, “No, I wouldn’t protect you. In fact, I would encourage them (that is, Russia) to do whatever they want,” Sikorsky wrote on the social network.
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Sikorsky explained that the former US president, when talking about “pay”, probably meant whether the country spends at least 2% of its GDP on defense spending, which corresponds to the NATO standard.
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“We don’t know who the leader of the NATO country with which Donald Trump spoke was. We don’t even know whether such a conversation actually took place. Some of the former president’s former associates believe that this whole story is an election ploy that suits the tastes of voters well “This should not reassure us,” Sikorsky wrote.
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He fears that Trump’s words around the world could be interpreted as NATO’s weakness. “Words have consequences. Even if Donald Trump simply wants to ‘scare’ allies into spending more on weapons, such threats are heard around the world, including in Beijing and Moscow. If they create the impression that the North Atlantic Alliance is wavering, that Washington does not feel bound by the provisions of treaties, they can encourage aggressive actions towards American partners not only in Europe,” Sikorsky wrote.
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At the same time, he agrees that European NATO countries should spend more on defense, without relying on the United States. “Donald Trump is not the first American president who wants Europe to take more responsibility for its security. He is right,” Sikorsky wrote.
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According to him, “States have problems all over the world.” “We cannot exclude that a situation will occur when Washington, due to being busy in other parts of the world, will not be able to send the appropriate forces to help Europe,” he explained.
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However, the Polish minister recalled that his country had kept its contingent in Afghanistan for many years and did not demand payment from the United States for this. “Let me remind you that Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that an attack on one member clearly means an attack on all, was used only once in history. This happened after terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001. In response At the request of the Americans, Poland sent a military brigade to Afghanistan for 10 years. And we did not bill for this assistance,” Sikorski wrote.
