Amid growing concerns that the US bears the primary burden of ensuring European security, discussions about NATO's future have resurfaced. This issue also raises the question of whether NATO aligns with the US national security strategy.
Redaksiya reports that military analyst Sean Bell of Sky News commented on the views of former US President Donald Trump regarding NATO. According to Bell, it has been clear since Trump's first presidency that he did not have great affection for NATO. The analyst noted that the US president does not want to take responsibility for the collapse of the Alliance, but he does not believe NATO is currently relevant to its mission.
Bell, citing Trump's social media post, stated that Russia and China are not afraid of NATO without the US and expressed doubt about whether the Alliance would come to the aid of the US if needed. According to Reuters, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated on January 7 that she has no doubt about the unity of NATO members. She emphasized her confidence that the Alliance will remain in its current state. Speaking at a press conference in Paris with her counterparts from India, France, and Poland, Baerbock stated, "The United States supports the defense of the Alliance and the alliance with Europe."
Trump also boasted about forcing NATO countries to increase their defense spending. In his opinion, Russia and China would not have feared NATO if the US had not been part of this alliance. Previously, Trump had stated that Russia would have already taken full control of Ukraine if it hadn't been for his intervention. He claimed to have saved millions of lives and ended eight wars. Trump's negative stance on NATO has been known since his first presidency.