NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg credited former President Trump on Tuesday for the record number of NATO member countries meeting their contribution requirements.
Stoltenberg joined Fox News on Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine and why he believes it is necessary for the U.S. to continue to support its defense. The NATO leader said member countries were stepping up their funding due to Russian hostility, but he also noted Trump’s insistence on the issue during his time in office.
“I worked with [Trump] over those four years. And the reality is that he had a very clear message on the need for European allies to spend more. And I agree with him,” Stoltenberg said.
“The good news is that, over the last year or so, we have seen a significant increase in spending by European allies. We still have a way to go, but, again, compared to where we started, we are in a much better place. I expect those allies that are not yet at 2% to be there within a few years.”
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Stoltenberg also noted Russia’s burgeoning friendships with China, North Korea and Iran. He argued that NATO countries should work to create “consequences” for China, in particular, regarding assistance to Russia.
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“Russia is receiving a lot of support from China, from North Korea and Iran and these authoritarian countries. They want the U.S., they want NATO – they want all of us to fail in Ukraine, because that will be not only a win for Putin, it will be a win for President Xi, for Iran and North Korea,” he said.
“China cannot have it both ways. They cannot continue to have a normal, friendly trading relationship with European and NATO allies and then continue to be the main supporter of the biggest war in Europe since the Second World War. So therefore, at some stage, European allies should also look into consequences,” he said.
