On Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Beit Higseth NATO told that although the United States “is still committed” to the military alliance, it gives priority to its security and prevents conflict with China.
Higseth told NATO allies in Brussels that Europe would need more responsibility for “European security protection”.
“The United States is still committed to the NATO Alliance and the defense partnership with Europe. Full stop,” said Higseth.
But the United States will not tolerate an unbalanced relationship that encourages dependency. Instead, our relationship will give a priority to enable Europe to have the responsibility of its security. “
This security includes Ukraine.
Many allies were waiting for clarity about the amount of military and financial support that Washington would continue to provide the Ukrainian government under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Instead, NATO officials and members were told that they would have to take more responsibility.
Higseth said that Europe will need to provide “the overwhelming share of fatal and non -deadly aid in Ukraine.”
Al -Amin also said that NATO membership in Ukraine was unrealistic and that the possibility of regaining Kiev regaining its borders before 2014, including the Crimea, is also unlikely.
“We want, like you, Ukraine, with sovereign and prosperous. But we must start by realizing that returning to the borders of Ukraine before 2014 is an unrealistic goal,” he said, describing that “the delusional goal.”
“The solid peace of Ukraine must include strong security guarantees to ensure that the war does not start again. This should not be the 3.0 Agreements. However, the United States does not believe that NATO membership in Ukraine is a realistic result of the settlement of negotiation.”
His comments came shortly before Trump’s announcement of the social truth platform that he had received a “lengthy and productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
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We want to stop millions of deaths in the war with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used the slogan of my very strong campaign, “sound sense”. We both believe very strongly in it. We have agreed to work together, closely, including visiting each other. “
“We have also agreed to start our teams from negotiations immediately, and we will start contacting President Zelinski, from Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, which I will do now.”
Russia annexed the Crimea in March 2014, and then supported the separatists supporting Russia in an armed rebellion against Kiev’s forces in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine.
Moscow currently controls 20 percent of Ukraine, most of them in the east and south.
As part of Ukraine security, Higseth said that NATO forces were deployed as peaceful lawyers in Ukraine at any time, so this should be done as part of a task other than NATO, so they are not covered according to Article Five.
Article Five is a basic principle of NATO, and it is often referred to as “collective defense”.
Under the article, an attack against a NATO member is an attack against everyone and will lead to a joint response from the military alliance.
Article Five was activated only once, when European allies and Canada used mass security guarantee to assist the United States in the wake of al -Qaeda attacks on September 11, 2001.
The United States also used the meeting in Brussels to remind those who attended Trump’s renewed calls to members to contribute more to defense spending.
All coalition members are expected to fulfill a standard of spending at least two percent of GDP (GDP) on defense.
However, in recent months, Trump said he needs to spend more.
Two percent is not enough. “President Trump has called for five percent and I agree,” he said.
“Increasing your commitment to your security is an introduction to the future. An introduction batch, as I said, Mr. Mark Retty, from peace through strength.”
The United States itself currently does not fulfill the 5 percent that Trump expects.
European allies raised their military budgets because Putin ordered his forces to enter Ukraine, and it is estimated that 23 of them have arrived or exceeded the goal of last year to spend two percent of GDP, but there are still a third shortened – including Canada.
Some American allies are concerned that a hasty deal is anxious with not favorable conditions for Ukraine.
Before Higseth spoke, the Secretary General of NATO told the Associated Press that Putin would only negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine if its supporters continue to provide enough weapons and ammunition.
–With Reuters files and Associated Press
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