Donald Trump stuns Nato leaders with extraordinary tirade against Germany

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Donald Trump stunned Nato leaders today with a tirade against Germany, claiming it was “captive to Russia”.

The US president ripped into Berlin saying a new gas pipeline would leave the country heavily dependent on Moscow for energy supplies.

He also stepped up his criticism of Germany and other European countries for not paying two per cent of GDP towards defence to support the Nato alliance. His confrontational approach shattered any hopes that the two-day summit in Brussels would stick to diplomatic norms.

At a tense breakfast with Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, Mr Trump went on the attack just hours before meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “It is very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia. We are supposed to be guarding against Russia and Germany goes out and pays billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia,” he said.

Tirade: Donald Trump claimed Germany is 'captive to Russia'
AP

“We are protecting protecting Germany, we are protecting France, we are protecting all of these countries and then numerous ... countries go out and make a pipeline deal with Russia where they are paying billions of dollars into the coffers of Russia. I think that is very inappropriate.

“It should never have been allowed to happen. Germany is totally controlled by Russia because they will be getting 60 to 70 per cent of their energy from Russia.

“On top of that Germany is just paying just a little bit over one per cent whereas the United States is paying 4.2 per cent of a much larger GDP. So I think that’s inappropriate also.”

Mr Trump’s outburst seemed to have caught Nato’s top brass by surprise, and even US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared to be slightly uneasy.

US President Donald Trump walks to greet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
AP

At one point, former Norwegian prime minister Mr Stoltenberg protested: “Even during the Cold War, Nato allies were trading with Russia.” He pointed out that the Nato members in Europe disagreed among themselves on ways to reduce the Continent’s reliance on Russian gas, but stressed they are able to work together despite their differences.

Mr Stoltenberg also insisted alliance members were committed to stepping up their defence spending while acknowledging they needed to do more. But he stressed that Nato had to stay united in the face of growing military aggression from Russia.

Mr Trump, however, refused to be persuaded. “These countries have to step it up not over a 10-year period, they have to step it up immediately,” he said. “Germany is a rich country. They talk about how they are going to increase it a tiny bit by 2030. They could increase it immediately, tomorrow, and have no problem. We are going to have to do something. We can’t put up with it.

“Germany is a captive of Russia. They got rid of their coal plants, they got rid of their nuclear — they are getting so much of the oil and gas from Russia.”

Berlin has given political support to the building of a new $11-billion pipeline to bring Russian gas across the Baltic Sea, called Nord Stream 2, despite qualms among other EU states.

Mrs Merkel insists the project is a private commercial venture and is not funded by German taxpayers.

Mr Trump has suggested that his meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday could be easier than the Nato summit and his visit to the UK, starting tomorrow. He said Britain was in “turmoil” following the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson over Brexit.

Former Conservative foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said Mr Trump was right that many Nato countries should increase their defence spending, but said he was exaggerating the difference in payments.

“He’s pretty dumb if, and I hope he is not going to do this, he weakens Nato as an alliance because America needs that alliance,” Sir Malcolm said.

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