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NATO, Russia, Merkel, Brexit: Trump unleashes broadsides on Europe
by Staff Writers
Berlin (AFP) Jan 16, 2017


NATO reiterates 'absolute confidence' in Trump security commitment
Brussels (AFP) Jan 16, 2017 - NATO on Monday reiterated its full confidence in the US security commitment to Europe, despite US President-elect Donald Trump sparking fresh uproar by saying the alliance was obsolete.

Trump also cast doubt on the European Union's future after Britain's departure and said he was ready to ease sanctions against Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis, adding to concerns over his intentions just days before his inauguration.

In a statement, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg was looking forward to working with Trump and his team.

"He is absolutely confident that the incoming US administration will remain committed to NATO," Lungescu said.

She said the two men had already discussed defence and increased spending, a key issue for many years in Washington which has pushed the allies to share more of the burden.

On the campaign trail, Trump had even suggested Washington might not help an ally under threat if it had not paid its dues.

"A strong NATO is good for the United States, just as it is for Europe," Lungescu said.

Stung by Russia's Ukraine intervention and its annexation of Crimea, the NATO allies embarked on the biggest military build-up since the end of the Cold War.

Trump's position appears to undercut that hard-won commitment while he has also wrongfooted the European Union, which has just extended economic sanctions against Russia.

Those sanctions were agreed in 2014 only reluctantly, with some EU member states regretting the economic damage they did to both sides.

NATO had earlier Monday referred journalists to remarks made by Stoltenberg on December 6 at an alliance foreign ministers meeting when asked repeatedly about Trump's intentions.

On that occasion, Stoltenberg recalled that the only time NATO's article 5 collective defence provision had been invoked was after the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States.

Germany's Steinmeier says NATO concerned at Trump remarks
Brussels (AFP) Jan 16, 2017 - President-elect Donald Trump's remarks that NATO is obsolete have caused concern at the US-led military alliance and also appeared at odds with his own officials, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Monday.

Steinmeier, in Brussels for an EU foreign ministers meeting, said he had met NATO head Jens Stoltenberg earlier on Monday "where the statements of President-elect Trump... were received with concern".

"This is in contradiction with what the American defence minister said in his hearing in Washington only some days ago and we have to see what will be the consequences for American policy," added Steinmeier.

In interviews with top European newspapers on Sunday, Trump rode roughshod over worries in Europe about Washington's near 70-year security guarantee and again displayed his apparent preference to do deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin over their heads.

"I said a long time ago that NATO had problems," Trump told Britain's The Times and Bild, Germany's biggest-selling daily.

"Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago... Number two, the countries aren't paying what they're supposed to pay."

Spending has been a key source of friction within the 28-nation alliance over recent years, with Washington bearing the brunt of the burden.

Stung into action by Russia's intervention in Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea, NATO leaders have approved its biggest military build-up since the end of the Cold War, but now find themselves facing a president seemingly with other priorities.

Steinmeier said Trump's remarks had caused astonishment and would dominate the foreign ministers meeting.

NATO is "obsolete", Germany's Angela Merkel made a "catastrophic mistake" on refugees, Brexit will be "great" and the US could cut a deal with Russia: Donald Trump unleashed a volley of broadsides Sunday in interviews with European media.

Five days before his inauguration as the 45th President of the United States, the billionaire populist let loose a torrent of controversial comments about European allies in interviews with British newspaper The Times and Germany's Bild.

He extended a hand to Russia, which has been hit by a string of sanctions under his predecessor Barack Obama over Moscow's involvement in Ukraine, the Syrian war and for alleged cyber attacks to influence the US election.

"Let's see if we can make some good deals with Russia," Trump said in remarks carried by The Times.

The US president-elect suggested a deal in which nuclear arsenals would be reduced and sanctions against Moscow would be eased, but gave no details.

"Russia's hurting very badly right now because of sanctions, but I think something can happen that a lot of people are gonna benefit," said the president-elect, who has previously expressed admiration for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Washington's European allies imposed sanctions against Russia over Ukraine in 2014. Those measures were renewed on December 19.

- NATO 'obsolete' -

In comments set to cause further consternation among eastern European NATO countries nervous about Moscow following Russia's annexation of Crimea and involvement in Ukraine, Trump said NATO was "obsolete".

"I said a long time ago that NATO had problems," Trump told The Times of London and Bild, Germany's biggest-selling daily.

"Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago," he said.

"Number two, the countries aren't paying what they're supposed to pay."

On the campaign trail, Trump said he would think twice about helping NATO allies if the United States were not "reasonably reimbursed" for the costs of defending them.

After Trump's victory, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had been a bedrock of transatlantic security for "almost 70 years" and was especially needed at a time of new challenges.

Spending has been a common source of friction within the 28-nation alliance over recent years.

The core military contributor to the alliance is the United States, which accounts for about 70 percent of spending.

In 2014, stung into action by Russia's intervention in Ukraine, upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa, NATO leaders agreed to reverse years of defence cuts and devote the equivalent of two percent of economic output to defence.

"The countries aren't paying their fair share so we're supposed to protect countries," Trump said in Sunday's interview.

"There's five countries that are paying what they're supposed to. Five. It's not much."

- 'Great' Brexit -

In other remarks, Trump said Brexit "is going to end up as a great thing" and said he backed a trade deal with post-EU Britain, which would be "good for both sides."

"We're gonna work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly," said Trump, confirming he will meet British Prime Minister Theresa May soon after his inauguration on January 20.

The pound took a hit Monday in early Asian trade after Britain said it might undercut the EU economically if it cannot obtain both single market access and immigration controls, with British media warning of a so-called "hard Brexit".

"Other countries will leave" the European Union in future, Trump prophesied, largely due to the pressure the bloc was put under following a significant uptick in migrants and refugees arriving.

"If they hadn't been forced to take in all of the refugees, so many, with all the problems that it... entails, I think that you wouldn't have a Brexit. This was the final straw that broke the camel's back," he said.

Trump also criticised Merkel for letting Germany admit undocumented migrants enter the country, insinuating that this posed a security risk.

"I think she made one very catastrophic mistake and that was taking all of these illegals, you know taking all of the people from wherever they come from. And nobody even knows where they come from," Trump said, adding he had "great respect" for the chancellor.

Merkel took flak at home after her open-door policy aimed at desperate Syrian refugees brought 890,000 asylum seekers to Europe's biggest economy in 2015, contributing to the rise of an anti-migrant movement.

But in 2016, that figure dropped back sharply, to 280,000 arrivals the government said last Wednesday.

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Frankfurt Am Main (AFP) Jan 16, 2017
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