Trump triggered uproar throughout Europe after telling a crowd throughout a weekend marketing campaign cease in South Carolina that he would “encourage” Russia to invade NATO allies who’re “delinquent,” saying: “You gotta pay. You gotta pay your payments.”
Tusk, who arrived in Berlin to satisfy Scholz after seeing French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris earlier within the day, stated that “regardless” of what Trump says, “it’s actually in our widespread European curiosity that each one NATO member states immediately and clearly improve the funding of protection” capabilities.
“That is actually crucial and never as a result of Donald Trump stated so, however fairly objectively,” Tusk added. “Now we have to handle bettering our protection potential ourselves and this European a part of NATO has to take a extra decided stand. I might attempt to persuade all European companions in NATO of this.”
European leaders have in current weeks more and more fretted over the safety implications of a attainable second Trump presidency. However the former president’s feedback over the weekend have added a better sense of urgency to already ongoing European debates about reaching better strategic autonomy from the U.S.
”I am actually satisfied that these phrases from Donald Trump ought to act as a chilly bathe for all of us, particularly for many who are usually not so conscious of this actual menace that we face, or do not take it very severely,” stated Tusk in Berlin. ”We actually should hope for full cooperation from the USA, however Europe should additionally put money into its personal safety.”