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 fulfill Scholz after seeing French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris earlier within the day, mentioned that “regardless” of what Trump says, “it’s actually in our widespread European curiosity that every one NATO member states straight and clearly improve the funding of protection” capabilities.
“That is actually mandatory and never as a result of Donald Trump mentioned so, however fairly objectively,” Tusk added. “We’ve got 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 latest weeks more and more fretted over the safety implications of a potential 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 should not so conscious of this actual risk that we face, or do not take it very severely,” mentioned Tusk in Berlin. “We actually should hope for full cooperation from the USA, however Europe should additionally put money into its personal safety.”