UK defence secretary insists Trump committed to NATO despite criticism

UK Defence Secretary John Healey has dismissed reports that US President-elect Donald Trump plans to pull out of NATO, stressing that Trump remains committed to the alliance.

"I don't expect the US to turn away from NATO. They recognise the importance of the alliance, they recognise the importance of avoiding further conflict in Europe," Healey said, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Healey emphasized that European nations must contribute more, adding, "European nations in NATO need to do more of the heavy lifting." He also supported Trump’s call for better funding from European members, stating that Trump "rightly pushed European nations to do more to fund NATO better."

Despite Trump’s criticism of NATO during his campaign, particularly regarding financial contributions from European nations, Healey believes US support for NATO will continue: "The US commitment to NATO remained through the previous Trump administration and I have no reason to think that support will discontinue during his second term."

Trump’s criticism of NATO and calls for members to meet their defence spending obligations have highlighted ongoing discussions on funding. The US, Poland, Estonia, and the UK are among the countries meeting NATO's 2% GDP target for defence spending.

In related news, reports indicated that Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin after his election win, urging him not to escalate the war in Ukraine, though the Kremlin denied the call took place.

By Vugar Khalilov