President Trump’s visit to the NATO summit in Brussels in expected to come with a whole flurry of demands for NATO nations to increase military spending. This is virtually a constant for NATO summits, and normally wouldn’t be a big issue.
That Trump will be meeting with Vladimir Putin almost immediately thereafter, however, has NATO nations taking a lot more notice, and diplomats predicting Trump will make threats to redraw the security landscape in Europe if NATO doesn’t give him what he wants.
Diplomats are quoted as predicting that Trump will threaten to pull US troops out of Ukraine, and ultimately out of Europe in general over the spending demands. He may even refuse to take part in joint NATO exercises going forward if they don’t spend more money.
It’s not clear any of this is actually being considered. US reports have suggested Trump may be interested in a drawdown in Germany, but the much greater changes seem to just be further panicky speculation built around Europe’s general opposition to the Trump-Putin summit.
Well if he gets them to up their spending it would reverse 20-30? years of them not living up to their commitments. So that would be impressive. I hate Trump btw
Please do it!
A true anti-interventionist wouldn’t make it a money issue. We’re gone, NATO is obsolete. Period.
There is nothing stopping the CIC from pulling troops out right now. Why wait, if it is what he wants ?
What are NATO troops doing in Ukraine? What have NATO troops done which is of any use? Why is there such a fuss when the USA IS NATO? Those shaking in fear are those who benefit-with jobs, cash, promotion- NOT the public in Europe which is not at all keen on having the US “enemies” foisted upon us.
I ask the same question, Rosemerry, what are NATO troops doing in Ukraine? They don’t belong in that country anyway. Their presence is in violation of the Minsk Accords of 2015, wherein Ukrainian forces were ordered to leave the two Donbass Republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, along with their heavy artillery. NATO presence violated these Accords, and fighting resumed.
I honestly think Trump may have planned the summit with Putin just to scare the Europeans into coughing up more change. It’s an election year thing, not a peace thing. I wish I was wrong.