Trump sent out letters to NATO allies demanding increased defense spending

US President Donald Trump sent letters to the leaders of several NATO countries, including Germany, Belgium, Norway and Canada, in harsh colors, in which he reproached them for defense costs that were too low and warned that the US was losing patience because of their inability to fulfill the obligations envisaged alliance

Reports about it "Voice of America" With reference to the newspaper New York Times.

According to the newspaper, the letters sent in June are another sign of serious disagreements between Trump and the US allies before the NATO summit, which will be held next week in Brussels.

Criticism of Trump increases the likelihood of another confrontation between the president and American allies after the explosion of indignation of the American leader at the G-7 summit in Quebec in June and heightening anxiety that instead of showing solidarity in the face of the Russian threat, a meeting in Brussels will emphasize disunity in the alliance, the newspaper writes.

In his letters, the president hinted that after complaining about the insufficiency of the Allies' measures to share the collective defense burden, with whom he had spoken for more than a year both publicly and privately, he could consider retaliatory measures, including adjustments to the US military presence in the world.

“As we discussed during your visit in April, there is growing frustration in the United States that some allies have not stepped up their efforts, as promised,” Trump said in a particularly short letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to a source who saw this letter and shared excerpts from it with the New York Times.

“The United States continues to increase the resources allocated to Europe’s protection at a time when the continent’s economy, including Germany, is doing well and security challenges are multiplying. Such a situation is no longer acceptable to us, ”he added.

"The growing frustration is not limited to the executive branch of government," wrote Trump. “The US Congress is also concerned.”

The president is dissatisfied with the fact that many NATO allies do not fulfill the commitments made at the summit in Wales in the 2014 year - spend 2 a percent of their GDP on defense, writes the New York Times.

Фото: Depositphotos

In a letter, Merkel Trump writes that Germany deserves censure for insufficient defense spending by other NATO countries.

“The continuing inadequate allocation of funds for the defense of Germany undermines the security of the alliance and serves as an excuse for other allies, who also do not plan to fulfill their commitments on military spending, because they see you as an example to follow,” he wrote.

Similar language is found in letters to other leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.

“It’s getting harder and harder to explain to American citizens why some countries do not share the burden of NATO’s collective defense, while American soldiers continue to sacrifice their lives abroad or return home with serious injuries,” Trump said in a letter to Merkel.