“Solely an ally can want one other ally to get stronger. This isn’t what an opponent of Europe would say,” Tusk argued.
Since his first time period, Trump has threatened to tug the U.S. out of the navy alliance, insisting European international locations chip in extra money on protection relatively than depend on the U.S. to select up the slack on protection spending.
Three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday in Davos berated Europe for its lackluster protection spending because the conflict on its doorstep rages on indefinitely. The U.S. is the No. 1 donor of civilian and navy help to Ukraine, though Europe, in whole summation, provides extra.
Tusk mentioned Poland, which has develop into NATO’s and the European Union’s entrance line since Russia’s invasion in 2022, has upped its personal protection spending nearer to the 5 p.c goal.
Some EU international locations, particularly Germany, have additionally rejected joint borrowing for protection. For international locations reticent to spice up protection money and oppose joint borrowing by way of eurobonds, Tusk mentioned, “I will be sincere with you, it isn’t so vital which technique we’re going to go for to finance pan-European protection initiatives. “There’s something which is extra vital and we must always say it out loud: There isn’t a various, there isn’t a selection.”
He referred to as repeatedly on Europe take cost of its personal safety whereas invoking former U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
“Do not ask America what it could possibly do for our safety. Ask yourselves what we will do for our personal safety,” Tusk suggested lawmakers.
