NATO chief downplays impact of potential Trump victory

BERLIN

NATO chief Mark Rutte on Monday sought to allay concerns about the potential impact of a Donald Trump victory in the upcoming US presidential election.

Speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Rutte underlined the NATO alliance's resilience and shared interests among the allies.

“Whoever wins those elections, we will work with Kamala Harris, we will work with Donald Trump, and make sure that the alliance stays united,” he stressed.

“I have no doubt because it is in our interest. It is in our interest here (in Europe), but also for the United States,” he said, adding that the US would not “repeat the mistake” of withdrawing from Europe after World War I.

“They (Americans) know that if (Russian President) Putin would be successful in Ukraine, that at that moment, an emboldened Russia is on our eastern flank and will present a direct threat to NATO territory,” he added.

The NATO chief's remarks came amid growing concern among European allies about Trump's potential return to the White House.

During his presidency, Trump publicly criticized European NATO allies for not meeting the alliance's defense spending target of 2% of GDP. Trump argued that the US was shouldering an unfair burden of NATO's costs and threatened to withdraw from the alliance if other members did not increase their contributions.

His stance strained relations with European leaders and raised questions about the future of US commitment to transatlantic security.