He was NATO’s leader when Trump threatened to withdraw from the cooperation. Jens Stoltenberg believes Trump had valid points.
Published: 06.11.2024 20:03 | Updated: 06.11.2024 20:23
Summary
- Jens Stoltenberg supports some of Trump’s points that European NATO members need to increase their defense budgets.
- He expresses confidence in his successor Mark Rutte’s ability to handle relations with the USA during Trump’s potential second term.
- Stoltenberg believes military support for Ukraine is necessary, while Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide says fears of Trump pulling the USA out of NATO are exaggerated.
The summary was created using artificial intelligence (AI) and verified by Aftenposten’s journalists.
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The way forward is to sit down with the incoming president and discuss solutions, says the former NATO Secretary-General to Aftenposten.
– It is much better to engage and work with the Americans – even on the areas where opinions differ, says Stoltenberg.
– Norway and Europe should do more for their own security, both militarily and economically. Norway should not reduce cooperation with the USA.
– European allies must invest more within NATO. The EU cannot take on NATO’s role, says Stoltenberg.
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Threatened to withdraw the USA
During the last presidential term, Trump was critical of NATO and threatened to withdraw the USA from the alliance if the allies did not increase their defense budgets.
He justified this with three points. First, that it is in the USA’s interest to be part of a strong NATO. Second, that there is still broad bipartisan support for the alliance, even in the new congress.
– Third, his criticism then was towards NATO allies who did not pay for their membership. He was right about that. It has dramatically changed now, said Stoltenberg.
Just last summer, Trump said it was time for Europe to contribute more to the community and that the USA’s contribution should be reduced.
Stoltenberg has congratulated Trump on the victory. Trump is said to have thanked him for the congratulations.
– If Ukraine loses this war, there will not be peace, there will be occupation, said Stoltenberg, who believes the only path to peace is through military support for the country.
Russia’s invasion war in Ukraine is the largest in Europe since World War II. American military aid has been crucial for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) stated that concerns about Trump pulling the USA out of NATO are exaggerated, NTB writes.
In February, Trump threatened not to protect NATO countries that spend too little on their own defense.
Eide believes that Trump feels he has contributed to changing the alliance – precisely by European countries taking on a larger part of the economic burden of the cooperation.
He believes that it will also be necessary to have a “continuous engagement with Trump and his people” and to remind them of NATO’s significance.
– For us, but not least for them, said Eide to NTB.
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