U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his backing of NATO's Article V, the basic clause obliging members of the alliance to come to the defense of other members in the case of attack.
The comments were made on Thursday at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer when the two met for vital talks on the future of stability within Europe.
Trump's position on Article V, the cornerstone of NATO's collective defense pledge, has been under scrutiny given his previous comments challenging the resilience of long-time global alliances.
When prompted for his opinion on the clause in the context of a potential European peacekeeping force sent to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, Trump answered emphatically:
"I support it," he said.
But he sounded hopeful that they would not be needed. "I don't think we're going to have any reason for it. I think we're going to have a very successful peace, and I think it's going to be a long-lasting peace, and I think it's going to happen, hopefully quickly," he said.
He also warned, "If it doesn't happen quickly, it may not happen at all."
Trump's Earlier Statements on NATO Caused Alarm
Trump's previous remarks on NATO's mutual defense commitment have alarmed U.S. allies. Trump caused controversy last year by stating that he would press Russia to attack aggressively those NATO members who are not living up to their defense spending commitments.
"You didn't pay? You're delinquent?" Trump had described saying. "No, I would not shield you. Actually, I would urge them to do whatever the hell they please. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills."
His comments were sharply criticized, with White House spokesman Andrew Bates decrying them as "appalling and unhinged," warning that such language "jeopardizes American national security, global stability, and our economy at home."
NATO Defense Spending and Ukraine's Continuing Struggle
In the wake of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, NATO allies pledged to end post-Cold War defense reductions and to devote at least two percent of their GDP to military spending by 2024. As of 2022, just seven of NATO's 31 member countries had reached this goal, though Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has led some members to increase their military spending.
Trump's latest comments are made amidst Ukraine's ongoing battle to thwart Russia's aggression. With slowed counterattacks and running low on weapons, the question of defense aid has turned more and more contentious in the U.S. Congress, especially among Republican congressmen who have doubts about funding more aid for Kyiv.
During his 2016 campaign, Trump had scared Western allies by indicating that the U.S. could review its NATO commitments unless members were spending at least two percent of their defense budget. While he later supported Article V as president, he often belittled NATO allies for overdependence on U.S. military strength and questioned the alliance's utility as a whole in informing American foreign policy.
With ongoing tensions in Europe and ongoing disagreement regarding military spending, Trump's reassertion of Article V will probably come under close examination as NATO allies measure the cohesion of the alliance under his stewardship.
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