American “totally committed” to article 5, the NATO chief insists day 2 of Summit | News

NATO chief Mark Rutte said he was “optimistic” that members will accept a major boost of defense spending and stressed that Washington is “totally attached to the alliance”, the second day of the organization’s annual summit.

The leaders of the 32 members of the Transatlantic Alliance meet on Wednesday in the Dutch city of The Hague under the pressure of the Trump administration to approve new targets of expenditure 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in La Défense, in the midst of whirling questions on the commitment of American president Donald Trump to the Alliance.

But, speaking before a meeting of leaders on the second and last day of the annual summit, NATO Secretary General Rutte insisted on the fact that he made no doubt that Washington, the most powerful member of NATO, was moving away from the alliance or its underlying principle of mutual defense.

“There is an absolute clarity that the United States is completely attached to NATO, totally attached to article 5,” he said, referring to the principle of Cornerstone collective defense devoted in the founding treaty of NATO, which maintains that an attack on a member is treated as an attack on everything.

“And yes, there is also an expectation, which will be made today, that Canadians and Europeans will accelerate their expenses, ensuring that we are able to defend ourselves against the Russians and the others,” he said.

He expected the summit to be “transformational” for the alliance, he added.

Trump sède doubts

Trump has complained several times that Washington has too much military load and wondered if the alliance should defend members who have not achieved its defense spending targets.

Its administration demanded that NATO allies will agree to increase their defense expenses to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP), against the current objective of 2%.

Nine NATO members are currently spending less than the 2% objective for defense, According to NATO estimates.

On the way to the Hague Tuesday, Trump attracted doubts about his commitment to the Alliance when asked if Washington would respect the mutual defense guarantees of NATO.

“Depends on your definition”, Trump Tell to journalists. “There are many definitions of article 5. You know, right?” But I am determined to be their friends. “

But addressing journalists before the opening of the summit, Trump sought to reassure the allies concerning the American commitment to the Mutual Defense, saying: “We are with them all the way.”

“Washington problem with Spain”

In response to American requests to strengthen defense spending, some NATO countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom have already announced new significant investments in their soldiers, recognizing the need to respond to the threat posed by Russia, in particular.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that Germany would increase spending to become “the strongest conventional army in Europe”, while the United Kingdom, which has already declared that it would achieve the new spending objectives, announced that the Purchase of a fleet of fighter aircraft Capable of transporting tactical nuclear missiles.

But other countries have reported their resistance to the proposed objectives, which must be achieved by a deadline of 2035. Spain, the lowest NATO defense expenditure last year, according to NATO estimates, said that it could not achieve the target by 2035, qualifying the figure as “unreasonable”.

Belgium also indicated that it would not make the objective of 5%, while Slovakia said that it reserves the right to determine its own defense expenses, reported the Associated Press News Agency.

Trump distinguished the position of Spain on Tuesday, saying: “There is a problem with Spain. Spain does not agree, which is very unfair for others, frankly.”

‘A more balanced NATO’

On Wednesday, other NATO leaders expressed their full support for the alliance and the increased objectives of defense expenditure.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said: “Article 5 is clear … and means collective defense and there is no discussion on this article”, when he arrived at a meeting.

Danish Prime Minister Put Frederiksen told journalists that the boost to military spending was important and necessary.

“Disarmament has been allowed to last too long,” she said.

Finnish president Alexander Stubb, whose country is Russia, told journalists that he thought that the Alliance was evolving.

“I think we are witnessing the birth of a new NATO, which means a more balanced NATO and a NATO which has more European responsibility,” he said, according to the reuters news agency.