The secretary of defense has emphasized that Donald Trump is dedicated to NATO and is justified in urging other European countries to increase their financial contributions to the security alliance.
John Healey dismissed allegations that the US president-elect would withdraw from NATO, the military coalition comprising 30 European nations along with the US and Canada, following prior claims of Mr. Trump contemplating such an action.
During a statement to Sky News, Mr. Healey remarked: “I do not anticipate the US turning its back on NATO.”
“They acknowledge the significance of the alliance and the necessity of preventing further conflicts in Europe.”
“However, I maintain, and have asserted for a while, that the European nations within NATO must take on a greater share of the responsibilities.”
He further asserted that Mr. Trump “rightly encouraged European nations to contribute more effectively to NATO’s funding.”
The secretary of defense stated that the US’s allegiance to NATO persisted throughout the previous Trump administration and he sees no reason to believe that this support will wane during his subsequent term.
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Secretary of Defense John Healey stated that Donald Trump is dedicated to NATO. File pic: PA
Mr. Trump has consistently criticized NATO, arguing that the US bears an excessive share of the budget while European nations allocate insufficient funds for defense.
Throughout his election campaign, he indicated that the US would only defend NATO members against a potential Russian attack if they fulfilled their financial commitments.
NATO members vowed to allocate at least 2% of their GDP to defense by 2024, with 23 out of the 32 countries projected to meet this target by the year’s end.
Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, leads with a significant expenditure of 4.1% of GDP, followed by Estonia at 3.4%, and the US at 3.4%.
The UK ranks ninth, with a defense budget equal to 2.3% of GDP during the previous Conservative administration.
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Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in September. Pic: Reuters
Mr. Healey stated that his administration is committed to directing 2.5% of GDP towards defense, although he did not specify a timeline for achieving this target.
He mentioned that the Labour party is beginning to fulfill its pledges by boosting defense expenditure by £3 billion next year.
“This demonstrates a government that recognizes its primary responsibility is to protect the nation and ensure the safety of our citizens,” he continued.
Following his electoral victory, Mr. Trump reportedly communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, cautioning against escalating the conflict in Ukraine, according to The Washington Post and Reuters, although the Kremlin refuted the claim that the call occurred on Monday.
Several sources acquainted with the conversation indicated that the president-elect reminded Mr. Putin of the significant US military presence throughout Europe and talked about fostering peace on the continent.
