Trump and Rutte: An alliance for the future of NATO in the Hague!

Trump and Rutte: An alliance for the future of NATO in the Hague!

The NATO summit is currently taking place in the Haag, in which US President Donald Trump and 31 other heads of state and government discuss the future of the alliance. A central point of the talks are defense spending, which is to be raised to 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. This was emphasized by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has spoken in favor of Germany's stronger responsibility in order to make the Bundeswehr the strongest conventional army in Europe href = "https://www.stimme.de/politik/politik/nato-kulfel-mit-trump-stabil-ist-das-buendnis-art-art-5065001"> Voice.de ).

Before the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Trump congratulated his effect within the alliance. He particularly praised the 5 percent commitment of European countries, which Rutte described as "really, really important" for America, Europe and the world. In a personal letter, he also praised Trump's military actions against Iranian atriads, which he classified as exceptionally, and found that Europe would be "strongly asked to pay", which could be assessed as a Trump victory ( Insuedthueringen.de ).

tensions and challenges

The geopolitical tensions, especially in the Middle East, throw a shadow on the summit. Trump's earlier statements had already aroused concerns about the United States. In the meantime, the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj was optimistic, while at the same time promoting support for the Ukrainian armaments industry. He urgently needs $ 35 billion to continue the military efforts of his country, but 40% of them are missing from financing (, ZDF today ).

At the summit itself there is no official mention of Ukrainian NATO membership, which Trump had already rejected in advance. Nevertheless, Merz emphasizes Germany's determination to further defend freedom and security in Europe together with France. The security operation "Orange Shield" is also on the agenda, with a massive contingent of 27,000 police officers and over 10,000 soldiers, to ensure security during the summit ( ZDF today ).

a united NATO goal

The Defense Minister of the NATO countries meet at separate work duties to discuss the current challenges. It remains to be seen to what extent the discussions will lead to an agreement, in particular with regard to the support of Ukraine and reforms within NATO. The members want to send a strong signal that they stand together in the face of global uncertainties and are willing to take responsibility ( Insuedthueringen.de , Voice.de ).