Trump's threats to NATO: Biden calls rival Putin's "lackey" and Borrell criticizes him for being capricious

Western politicians continue to comment on the words of US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who threatened NATO leaders that in the event of a Russian attack, the United States would not defend those members of the Alliance who owe payments to the organization. Current US President Joe Biden called his rival a "lackey" of Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin, while European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell criticized Trump for his capriciousness.

He collected reactions from Western politicians. For example, during a speech on Saturday, February 10, in South Carolina, Trump said that during his presidency he had threatened NATO leaders that he would not defend them in the event of a Russian attack.

Some Republicans, Trump's associates, attacked him for his words.

"This is why I have long said he is unfit to be president of the United States," said former Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is Trump's only remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, said: "The last thing we ever want to do is take sides with Russia."

Republican Senator Tom Tillis accused Trump's aides of failing to explain to the former president that the United States, as a NATO member, is committed to defending any member of the alliance that is under attack.

For his part, Joe Biden called his predecessor's statements dangerous. According to Biden, such statements by his predecessor show why supporting Ukraine is important.

"Because, as you can see, Putin and his useful minions are counting on bigger prizes," the American leader said.

Trump was also criticized by John Bolton, a former US national security adviser in his administration, who believes that the former US president's threats to withdraw from NATO if he returns to power should be taken seriously.

"I think Trump's statements should be taken very seriously. A lot of people don't take it that way right now – Trump's supporters and opponents alike. When he says that he wants the United States to withdraw from NATO, I think that is a very real threat, and it would have extremely bad consequences for the United States." And not just in the North Atlantic region, but much more broadly," he said on MSNBC.

In addition, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said this morning that NATO cannot afford to be an alliance that depends on the whims of the US president.

Asked to respond to Trump's comments, Borrell said: "NATO cannot be a military alliance of choice... depending on the mood of the US president."

As a reminder, European Council President Charles Michel commented on former US President Donald Trump's statement about the "green light" for Russia's aggression against NATO's "debtors". The head of the EP stressed that such reckless statements about the security of the Alliance serve only the interests of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that the comments of former US President Donald Trump about the Alliance put European and American military at risk. However the response to any attack on the organization will not be delayed.

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