Trump says US ‘firmly behind’ NATO mutual defence pact, knocks Russia over Ukraine

President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States had demonstrated its commitment to NATO’s defense through words and actions, and called on Russia to end its “destabilizing” action in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world.

Trump’s reference to Article Five of the NATO treaty, which guarantees that alliance members will defend each other, represented a change of tone from the president, who upset U.S. allies by not mentioning support for the provision during a trip to NATO headquarters in May. His criticism of Russia comes ahead of his first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Germany on Friday.

“We urge Russia to cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere and its support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran, and to instead join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and the defense of civilization itself,” Trump said in a speech in Warsaw.

Poland an ‘exemplary ally’

US President Donald Trump described Poland as an exemplary ally in building defences to counter Russian “destabilising behaviour”, while appearing to encourage Polish defiance towards the European Union. Trump, en route to a potentially fractious G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, urged western NATO allies in Europe to …read more