– Regardless of who becomes the US president, we must cooperate with him – said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday. In an interview with German television ZDF, he said that Donald Trump “knows what he wants.”
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On Tuesday, the Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte he was asked on German television whether the result of the US elections could be a turning point for NATO. – I worked with Donald Trump for four years as prime minister (Netherlands – ed.) and I often visited him in the White House. I've always been on G20 summits and NATO. I always enjoyed working with him: he knows what he wants, Rutte replied.
He recalled that Trump “forced us to achieve the two percent goal for NATO.” – My country, Germanymany NATO countries have achieved this goal, he noted. The secretary added that “with Kamala Harris, too, I have no doubt that she will force us to do more.” – Because it's about long-term deterrence and us being strong – he said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte PAP/EPA – Olivier Hoslet
Rutte was asked during the interview about the danger of the United States withdrawing from the Alliance. The Secretary General said that both the US is in favor of NATO, as is Donald Trump himself. – Kamala Harris she also was and is for NATO, he said. – United StatesRepublicans and Democrats, understand that NATO is not only to ensure the security of Europe, but also of the United States – replied the head of the international organization.
The head of the Alliance also commented on the impact of the fight for the presidency across the Atlantic on aid Ukraine. He noted that “regardless of who is elected, Harris or Trump, we will sit down together and make sure that we provide assistance to Ukraine and that Ukraine can defend itself against the Russian war.”
– We will discuss it with the future president. I have no doubt that there will be discussions, this is normal in democracies, but also that we will reach a common position, Rutte concluded.
Trump didn't know what NATO was, but he “understood it in two minutes”
While the NATO summit was taking place in Washington, former US President Donald Trump began his campaign rally in Doral, Florida. During the speech admitted that before he became president, he did not know what NATO was. He added that he understood it “in two minutes” and noted that “they don't pay.”
In July this year, the New York Times recalled that during his presidency, Trump was close to withdrawing the US from the Alliance. The American daily reported that his advisers dissuaded him from the idea. As “NYT” noted, the Republican's victory does not guarantee that “he will have the same advisors next to him.”
The candidate of the Republican Party spoke about the Alliance in March this year on the British station GB News. In the conversation, Donald Trump said that at the beginning of his presidency he ordered other leaders of member states to pay more for defense. Then, as he said in an interview, he was asked by one of them if they did not do so, the US would protect them in the event of an attack. Russia. – I said, “Does that mean you're behind on your payments? You're not paying your bills? So no, I won't pay for you, we won't do that. We won't defend you if you don't pay your bills. It's very simple.” And hundreds of billions of dollars flowed in, he said.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA – Olivier Hoslet