Neutral countries should join NATO if they want protection - British Defense Minister Shapps
Neutral countries that are not members of NATO, but use its "umbrella of protection", must join the Alliance.
This was stated by the Minister of Defense of Great Britain, Grant Shapps, informs Censor.NET with reference to Politico.
Shapps made it clear that Britain would lobby for more countries to join the bloc. "I am in favor of NATO bringing into the organization all those who benefit from the protection of the Alliance," said the British minister.
"Some European countries actually benefit from NATO coverage, they enjoy the benefits of freedom and security, but still do not subscribe to collective deterrence for the continent," Shapps said, pointing to the threat posed by Russia.
"When the wolf is at the back door of European security, there should be no room for neutrality," the British defense minister added.
As Politico points out, Shapps' comments came as he urged existing NATO members to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP. The Alliance's current goal of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense has been met by roughly two-thirds of NATO's 32 members. Britain recently pledged to hit 2.5% by the end of the decade, and Shepps promised to raise the issue at a NATO summit in Washington in July.
It will be reminded, that European countries such as Ireland, Malta, Austria, and Switzerland are not members of NATO and have a position of neutrality.
