Running for another presidency as Republican candidate for the White home in the fall election Donald Trump said he would “encouraged” Russia to attack any of its allies in NATO, if specified a country, in its opinion, failed to meet its financial commitments.
Less than half of NATO countries have so far achieved the minimum defence spending mark agreed at the 2014 Alliance Summit in Wales – 2% of GDP.
Trump made specified a message on Saturday at an election rally in Conway, South Carolina, before presidential primaries to be held on 24 February in that state. The erstwhile president expressed doubts about the sense of helping Ukraine in its defence against the invasion launched by Russia in February 2022, as well as the existence of NATO – an alliance consisting of an army of 31 associate States. Trump admitted that during an indeterminate NATO gathering he told another head of state that the United States under his leadership would not defend any country that had committed “crimes”.
– 1 of the presidents of a large country stood up and said, “Well, sir, if we don’t pay and we are attacked by Russia, will you defend us.” I said, “You have not paid, you are a criminal”, said the American politician. “No, I wouldn’t defend you. In fact, I would encourage them to do what they want. You gotta pay. You must pay your bills”
White home spokesperson Andrew Bates erstwhile asked about Trump's comments said: "Incentives to invade murderous regimes on our closest allies are frightening and crazy and endanger American national security, global stableness and our national economy.
NATO states agreed in 2014, following Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, to halt cuts in expenditure made after the Cold War and decision to spend min. 2% of their GDP on defence, which they had until 2024.
