Donald Trump has dodged a question asking him whether he is still committed to Article 5 of NATO, the alliance’s founding principle.
Article 5 is the principle of collective and mutual defence, meaning an attack against one NATO ally is considered an attack against all members.
The US president spoke to reporters on Air Force One on his way to the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, and was asked about his commitment to Article 5 of NATO.
He replied that it “depends on your definition” of Article 5, adding that he was “committed to being their friend”.
Mr Trump added: “You know, I’ve become friends with many of those leaders, and I’m committed to helping them.
“I’m committed to saving lives. I’m committed to life and safety, and I’m going to give you an exact definition. When I get there. I just don’t want to do it on the back of an airplane.”
The NATO summit is intended to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that NATO is united and set on expanding and upgrading its defences to deter any attack on its members from Moscow, but Mr Trump cast renewed doubt on his willingness to protect allies.
NATO secretary general Mark Rutte said he had “no doubt” that the US is “totally committed” to the mutual defence clause and NATO.
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‘Russia could attack a NATO country’
It comes after Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia could attack a NATO country within five years to test the alliance.
The Ukrainian president made the comments in an interview with chief presenter Mark Austin.
But when asked if Russia could attack within months, Mr Zelenskyy said he did not “believe [Putin] is ready”.
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Mr Zelenskyy also said plans for NATO members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 are “very slow” – adding: “We believe that, starting from 2030, Putin can have significantly greater capabilities.
“Today, Ukraine is holding him up, he has no time to drill the army.”
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Trump and the other leaders of NATO’s 32 member states are expected to approve the investment goal when they meet at the summit in The Hague.
Keir Starmer speaks to the media at the end of a visit to the Netherlands marines training base ahead of the NATO summit. Pic: PA
As Sir Keir pledged to boost the UK’s defence and security spending to meet the NATO target, he told reporters en route to the summit that it “pretty obvious we’re living in volatile times, probably more volatile than most of us have lived through recently”.
His government warned in a new National Security Strategy that it must “actively prepare” for Britain “coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario” for the first time in many years.
This story originally appeared on Skynews
