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DW: Donald Trump calls out Germany, EU allies on NATO defense spending ahead of summit
Belgium's prime minister was "unimpressed" after receiving a letter from Trump about sticking to NATO pledges. With less than two weeks until the alliance summit in Brussels, Trump also said Germany needs to up spending.
US President Donald Trump sent letters to eight NATO members cautioning them about not meeting their spending commitments, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said on Friday.
"I am not very impressed by this type of letter," Michel told reporters on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels.
"Belgium has halted the systematic fall in defense spending and takes part in a lot of military operations," he added.
Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands also received individual letters that were personally signed by the US leader, a diplomatic source told the AFP news agency.
Trump took aim at Berlin and other European allies over NATO spending in comments to reporters on Friday.
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WNU Editor: These EU leaders are not going to listen to Presdient Trump. Instead that are warning via through their media allies that President Trump wants to break-up NATO ....Is Trump Out To Dismantle NATO? By Tom Ricks (Task & Purpose). Personally .... I am not impressed by this scare-mongering. Instead of facing up to their own failure to meet promised commitments to NATO, what I see is an attempt to shift the focus on what President Trump may do, while making the same vague promises that they have been making for the past two years .... EU to deepen military readiness, raise spending, leaders say (Reuters).
More News On President Trump Sending Warning Letters To Eight E.U. Leaders Ahead Of NATO Summit
Trump, ahead of NATO summit, repeats complaints on Germany, other Europeans -- Reuters
Trump’s letters to allies mean the NATO Summit could be in trouble before it begins -- Defense News
'Unimpressed': Trump Sends EU Leaders Warning Letters Ahead of NATO Summit -- Sputnik