The former American president, candidate for re-election in November, had already threatened to leave the Atlantic Alliance if he returns to the White House.
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Donald Trump threatened, in the event of re-election, to no longer guarantee NATO protection against Russia, during a meeting in South Carolina on Saturday February 10. The former US president regularly criticizes his allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for not sufficiently funding the institution or their own defense.
In front of his supporters, he recounted what he presented as a conversation with one of the heads of state of NATO, without naming him. “One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, well, sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?”told the big favorite for the Republican Party nomination, before revealing his answer: “No, I will not protect you. In fact, I will encourage them to do whatever they want to you. You must pay your debts.”
“Distressing” remarks according to Joe Biden
In response, Joe Biden considered that the words of his Republican rival for the presidential election clearly meant “his willingness to abandon America’s NATO allies in the event of a Russian attack.” “The fact that Donald Trump admits that he intends to give Putin the green light for more war and violence, to continue his brutal assault on a free Ukraine and to extend his aggression to the people of Poland and the Baltic states is distressing and dangerous”he condemned in a press release.
This statement comes after Donald Trump, likely candidate against Democratic President Joe Biden in November, put pressure on Republican elected officials in Congress to bury a bill providing in particular for the payment of new aid to Ukraine. The text, due to be debated again next week, would help kyiv replenish its stocks of munitions, weapons and other essential needs as the country enters a third year of war.
Donald Trump has often been doubtful, sometimes hostile, about continued American aid to Ukraine and even threatened to leave NATO if he returned to the White House.