Jens Stoltenberg says Nato ‘ready and able to defend all allies’, after Trump invited Russia to attack member countries. The Nato chief, Jens Stoltenberg, has said any attack on the western military alliance would be met with a “united and forceful response”, after Donald Trump invited Russia to attack member countries that he perceived as not meeting their financial obligations. Stoltenberg said in a statement: “Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed Nato ally.” (…) On Saturday, Trump claimed that during an unspecified Nato meeting he had told a fellow head of state that the US under his leadership would not defend any countries who were “delinquent”. “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?’” said Trump, adding: “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.” The Polish defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, wrote on X: “Nato’s motto ‘one for all, all for one’ is a concrete commitment.” He added: “Undermining the credibility of allied countries means weakening the entire Nato. No election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the alliance.” The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, wrote on X that “reckless statements” on Nato’s security and solidarity only served the interests of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin
via guardian: Nato chief says Trump remarks may put US and EU lives at risk
