Trump doubts interpretation of NATO Article 5: "I’m committed to saving lives"
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed uncertainty about the U.S. commitment to adhere to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which provides for the collective defense of Alliance members in the event of an attack.
He said this during a conversation with journalists on board Air Force One, Censor.NET reports citing Bloomberg.
Thus, when asked whether he was ready to reaffirm the US commitment to NATO Article 5, Trump said that it "depends on your definition" of this article.
"There are many interpretations of Article 5. You know that, right? But I'm committed to being their friend, you know, I've become friends with many of these leaders (of NATO countries - ed.) and I'm ready to help them," Trump said.
Later, when asked to clarify his statements on the defense of NATO allies, the US president replied that he was committed to "saving lives" and was committed to "life and safety."
"I'll give you the exact definition (of NATO Article 5 - ed.) when I get there (to the NATO summit - ed.). I just don't want to do it on an airplane," the American leader added.
Article 5 is a fundamental pillar of post-World War II NATO, which defended Western Europe against the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and has been the foundation of the US-led alliance ever since.
However, it has long been a source of frustration for Trump, who complains that US allies rely too much on Washington's defense spending and should contribute more to collective security.
During his first term, Trump threatened to pull out of NATO, and last year he said he would let Russia do "whatever it wants" to allies that don't spend enough on defense.
