Borrell says NATO not 'à la carte' depending on US President's mood
3 Min Read
The EU foreign policy chief responds to comments made by former US President Donald Trump where he suggested he would not protect NATO members if they were financially delinquent.
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European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell attends a news conference in Kiev, Ukraine on February 7, 2024. (AP)
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell responded Monday to former US President Donald Trump's likely unwillingness to defend the alliance if it is attacked by Russia.
NATO cannot be dependent on the whims and judgments of US Presidents, Borrell stated.
White House front-runner and former US President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday his willingness to "encourage" Russia to attack NATO members who are behind on their financial obligations.
At a campaign rally in South Carolina, Trump spoke of a conversation he had with a head of state at an unspecified NATO meeting.
"One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, 'Well, sir, if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' I said, 'You didn't pay, you're delinquent?'" he said.
He continued, "No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills."
Borrell told reporters that NATO "cannot be an 'à la carte' military alliance. NATO cannot be an alliance that works depending on the 'humor' of the President of the United States in those days," stressing that the response cannot be "now yes, tomorrow no.’ … It exists, or it does not exist."
According to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, an armed attack on one NATO member is considered an attack on the entire alliance, requiring other members to respond.
In a Saturday statement, White House Spokesperson Andrew Bates said, "Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged," adding, "Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership."
This comes two months after EU diplomats and think tank officials have begun contacting former US President Donald Trump's associates to determine whether he will withdraw the US from NATO if re-elected, a report by The New York Times revealed.
With polls suggesting that Trump may be the primary contender for the Republican party, a slew of former Trump administration officials and anti-Trump commentators have declared that a second Trump presidency would spell the end of NATO.
