US President Donald Trump on the eve of the NATO summit threatened allies with consequences if they do not accelerate the increase in defense spending to 5% of GDP. This is reported by The Telegraph with reference to representatives of the American administration, writes UNN.
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According to US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker, a number of Alliance countries still do not fulfill their commitments. He noted that Poland, the Baltic states and Northern Europe are leaders in the pace of increasing military spending, while many other allies are lagging behind.
President Trump expects that all allies will immediately step up and not only get on a sustainable path to 5 percent, but also achieve this indicator as soon as possible
The US may reconsider cooperation with allies
According to The Telegraph, the Trump administration is considering the possibility of rewarding countries that quickly increase defense budgets by giving them priority in purchasing American weapons and access to meetings with the US president. At the same time, states that do not meet the new requirements may face a reduction in the US military presence.
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The publication notes that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has already begun a review of the number of US troops in Europe. This could lead to the withdrawal of part of the contingent from countries that do not meet the target defense spending levels.
The NATO summit will begin on Tuesday in Ankara. According to The Telegraph, during the meeting Trump also plans to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on ways to end the war. Separately, Alliance leaders are to reaffirm their commitment to the principle of collective defense and agree on further military support for Ukraine.
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