At a rally in South Carolina, Donald Trump threatened that the United States would not defend NATO countries that do not pay enough for their military. According to Trump, Russia will be allowed to do “whatever it wants” with such a NATO country.
The move sparked a lot of criticism, which Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson now agrees with.
Donald Trump's rhetoric “risks weakening” the relationship between Europe and the United States, Kristersson tells SVT's 30 Minutes.
The link between us, the transatlantic link, is very important. Ulf Kristersson says this rhetoric sends signals of uncertainty that a bond that has existed for as long as NATO has existed will be in danger.
“Executing Putin's tasks”
Many EU leaders expressed themselves in sharp terms after Trump's statement at the beginning of February this year. German Chancellor Olaf Schulz described this step as “dangerous and only in Russia's interest.”
He has the support of Ulf Kristersson.
– The danger is quite clear that Putin's affairs are going wrong. He says that if other countries, led by Russia, have the impression that NATO's joint defense is not up to zero, then this is a very bad thing.
It could be part of an election campaign
But Ulf Kristersson also wants to highlight that the bullish tone can be traced back to a primary election campaign in the United States.
-I still think you should have ice in your stomach. He says it is important to emphasize European defense will and our systematic readiness to cooperate with the United States.
Watch 30 minutes on SVT Play at 19.30 or on SVT 2 at 22.00.
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