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Trump admonished for overlooking EU allies ahead of Nato summit Trump admonished for overlooking EU allies on eve of Nato summit
(35 minutes later)
The US president, Donald Trump, has been sharply criticised by one of the EU’s most senior leaders for not valuing European allies ahead of a two-day Nato summit that is taking place at a time of rising global tension. One of the EU’s most senior leaders has sharply criticised Donald Trump for not valuing European allies on the eve of a Nato summit that is taking place at a time of increasing global tensions.
The European council president, Donald Tusk, said: “Dear America, appreciate your allies. After all you don’t have that many.” His blunt message came a day before Wednesday’s summit in Brussels. The European council president, Donald Tusk, said: “Dear America, appreciate your allies. After all you don’t have that many.” His blunt message came a day before the start of the two-day summit in Brussels.
“Dear President Trump, America does not have and will not have a better ally than Europe,” Tusk added at an EU-Nato ceremony on Tuesday. “Today Europe spends on defence many times more than Russia and as much as China. And I think you can have no doubt, Mr President, that this is an investment in common American defence and security, which can’t be said with confidence about Russian and Chinese spending.”“Dear President Trump, America does not have and will not have a better ally than Europe,” Tusk added at an EU-Nato ceremony on Tuesday. “Today Europe spends on defence many times more than Russia and as much as China. And I think you can have no doubt, Mr President, that this is an investment in common American defence and security, which can’t be said with confidence about Russian and Chinese spending.”
Tusk criticised Trump for overlooking Europe’s early response to the 9/11 attacks, saying: “European troops have been fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with American soldiers in Afghanistan; 870 brave men and women sacrificed their lives, including 40 soldiers from my homeland, Poland.Tusk criticised Trump for overlooking Europe’s early response to the 9/11 attacks, saying: “European troops have been fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with American soldiers in Afghanistan; 870 brave men and women sacrificed their lives, including 40 soldiers from my homeland, Poland.
“Dear Mr President, please remember about this tomorrow when we meet at the Nato summit, but above all when you meet [the Russian] president, [Vladimir] Putin, in Helsinki. It is always worth knowing who is your strategic friend and who is your strategic problem.”“Dear Mr President, please remember about this tomorrow when we meet at the Nato summit, but above all when you meet [the Russian] president, [Vladimir] Putin, in Helsinki. It is always worth knowing who is your strategic friend and who is your strategic problem.”
EU leaders have been rattled by a recent encounter with Trump at the G7 summit in Canada, where the US president belittled his democratic allies. Diplomats will be closely watching Trump’s meeting with Putin on 16 July, which will follow the Nato summit and a four-day visit to the UK.EU leaders have been rattled by a recent encounter with Trump at the G7 summit in Canada, where the US president belittled his democratic allies. Diplomats will be closely watching Trump’s meeting with Putin on 16 July, which will follow the Nato summit and a four-day visit to the UK.
Tusk, who chairs EU leader summits, is a former Polish prime minister from the centre-right Civic Platform party, which traditionally takes a staunch pro-US line in foreign policy.Tusk, who chairs EU leader summits, is a former Polish prime minister from the centre-right Civic Platform party, which traditionally takes a staunch pro-US line in foreign policy.
He has also pointed the finger at EU member states for not spending enough on defence – a longstanding complaint of US presidents, including Barack Obama. “Dear Europe, spend more on your defence because everyone expects an ally that is well-prepared and equipped,” Tusk said.He has also pointed the finger at EU member states for not spending enough on defence – a longstanding complaint of US presidents, including Barack Obama. “Dear Europe, spend more on your defence because everyone expects an ally that is well-prepared and equipped,” Tusk said.
As he began his trip to Europe, Trump repeated his complaints about European allies not spending enough on defence. “Nato has not treated us fairly but I think we’ll work something out,” he said, adding that his meeting with Putin would seem easy after the Nato summit and a visit to the UK, which he said was “in somewhat turmoil”. As he began his trip to Europe, Trump repeated his complaints about European defence spending. “Nato has not treated us fairly but I think we’ll work something out,” he said, adding that his meeting with Putin would seem easy after the Nato summit and a visit to the UK, which he said was “in somewhat turmoil”.
Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, announced that eight of the alliance’s 29 members were expected to meet the pledge of spending 2% of their economic output on defence, compared to only three countries in 2014. “We have made major progress, but we still have a long way to go,” he told reporters. Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, announced that eight of the alliance’s 29 members were expected to meet the pledge of spending 2% of their economic output on defence, up from only three in 2014. “We have made major progress, but we still have a long way to go,” he told reporters.
The council president, in a letter that surprised EU diplomats with its forthright tone, included the Trump administration in a list of geopolitical threats facing Europe. In March, he criticised the US president’s claim that “trade wars are good and easy to win”, countering that “they are bad and easy to lose”. Tusk, in a letter that surprised EU diplomats with its forthright tone, included the Trump administration in a list of geopolitical threats facing Europe. In March, he criticised the US president’s claim that trade wars were good and easy to win, countering that they were bad and easy to lose.
Tusk was speaking at a ceremony in Brussels, where EU leaders signed a declaration on better ties with Nato. Tusk was speaking at a ceremony in Brussels, where EU leaders signed a declaration on better ties with Nato. The agreement, which deals with counter-terrorism, tackling people-smugglers and cybercrime as well as traditional defence, has been more than two years in the making.
The agreement, which deals with counter-terrorism, tackling people-smugglers and cybercrime as well as traditional defence, has been more than two years in the making.
The EU is stepping up cooperation on defence, a policy that has gained momentum since the UK voted to leave, removing one of the traditional blocks to EU collaboration.The EU is stepping up cooperation on defence, a policy that has gained momentum since the UK voted to leave, removing one of the traditional blocks to EU collaboration.
Noting that 22 EU member states – accounting for 95% of the EU population – were Nato members, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, said never before had it “made more sense to cooperate together and complement each other’s work”. Noting that 22 EU member states – accounting for 95% of the EU population – were Nato members, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, said never before had it “made more sense to cooperate together and complement each other’s work”.
Juncker, who is due to meet Trump later this month in Washington, did not match Tusk’s critical tone, saying his remarks would be more “timid”. Juncker, who is secheduled to meet Trump later this month in Washington, did not match Tusk’s critical tone, saying his remarks would be more “timid”.
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
Donald TuskDonald Tusk
NatoNato
European UnionEuropean Union
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