NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg criticised former US President Donald Trump during a press conference ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels.
Stoltenberg emphasised the crucial importance of solidarity within the NATO alliance, stressing that any sense of indecisive commitment threatens the security of all members.
Despite repeated criticism of Trump’s statements, Stoltenberg stressed the validity of the argument that European allies should shoulder a greater share of the defence burden. Following a recent visit to the US, Stoltenberg noted a positive trend of increased defence spending among NATO members.
The Secretary General stressed that he expected 18 NATO countries to meet the goal of allocating 2 per cent of their GDP to defence spending this year, noting that the figure represented a minimum requirement for member states.
The defence ministers also discussed billions of dollars worth of ammunition production contracts and the construction of a new weapons factory in Germany.
Furthermore, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana addressed the European Parliament on NATO’s strategic interests in the Black Sea region, emphasising the need for continued support to Ukraine. Geoana also highlighted the importance of NATO’s role in ensuring regional stability.
