Mark Rutte has stated that the US president has compelled the bloc’s members to place more emphasis on their own defense.
NATO Secretary – General Mark Rutte has said that European countries ought to be thankful that Donald Trump is the US president, asserting that Trump’s pressure has made the continent increase its own defense spending.
On Wednesday, while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rutte played down the ongoing crisis regarding Trump’s attempt to acquire Greenland and commented on the accusations he has received for being overly lenient with the US president.
“I’m not well – liked by you at the moment because I’m defending Donald Trump, but I truly believe you can be glad that he is in office as he has forced us in Europe to take more responsibility and face the fact that we have to take better care of our own defense,” Rutte said.
He maintained that without Trump, European economies like Spain, Italy, and France would never have consented to allocate 2% of their GDP to defense, stating that it is essential for them to “truly mature in the post – Cold War world.”
“This would never have occurred without Donald Trump. They’ve all reached the 2% mark now,” he added, referring to NATO’s former defense spending target. The bloc has since agreed to a new target of 5% of GDP by 2035 – a demand initially put forward by Trump.
Rutte’s remarks come after the publication of a private, sycophantic message he sent to Trump, in which he promised to help “find a way forward” on Greenland. His approach has drawn severe criticism, with French MEP Nathalie Loiseau recently labeling Rutte a groveling “McDonald’s employee of the month” for his flattery of the US president.
The dispute over Greenland – an autonomous Danish Arctic territory – has created a rift between the US and European NATO members. Trump has threatened tariffs on eight bloc members who opposed his efforts to acquire the territory and sent troops to the island, although the US leader on Wednesday claimed that a framework for a deal on the island is under consideration.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has suggested that Europe must now choose between “self – respect” and being a “miserable slave,” noting that the choice could lead to “the end of an 80 – year era of Atlantism.”