Trump offers relief to NATO allies: ‘We’re with them all the way’

The Hague – President Trump offered solid support for Europe and a reprimand by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the top of NATO in Hague on Wednesday, capping a visit which was a relief from the anxious allies across the continent.

The rally was designed by NATO management to appease the president, and he delivered, almost all members of the Transatlantic Alliance agreeing to spend 5% of their gross domestic product in defense – a historic increase that had been a priority for Trump for several years.

“We are with them to the end,” said Trump about NATO, sitting alongside its secretary general, Mark Rutte. He added to journalists later: “If I didn’t stand with that, why would I be here?”

Rutte was obsequious throughout the visit, at some point, referring to Trump as a “dad” disciplining childish nations at war with each other. But addressing journalists, he defended his praise from the well -deserved president.

“When it comes to making more investments, I mean, do you think it would be the result of this summit, if he would not have been re-elected president?” Said Rutte. “Do you really think that seven or eight countries said:” Somewhere in the 2030s, we could do 2% “, would have all decided in the last four or five months to reach 2%? So, does he not deserve praise?”

At the summit, the president faced repeated questions about the success of American strikes on Iranian nuclear installations during the weekend, which were designed to complete an Israeli campaign to effectively end an Iranian uranium program. But Trump expressed his confidence in the mission, declaring that information continues to support the conclusion that his facilities were “erased”.

“It was erased, completely erased,” he said. “We have collected additional information. We also talked to people who saw the site, and the site is erased. ”

A first report by the Defense Intelligence Agency, reported for the first time by CNN, questioned this conclusion. But an Israeli official told Times that the preliminary conclusions of a field assessment gives Israel the confidence that the program has been implemented for several years.

“You can see that intelligence was of very high quality in the execution of this operation – which gives us confidence in the information we have on the various facilities,” said the manager.

During a press conference, Trump seemed to be committed to applying article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Charter, a key provision indicating that an attack on a member is an attack on all. In the past, Trump has questioned his commitment to commitment.

“Regarding article 5, look – when I came here, I came here because it was something that I am supposed to do,” said Trump. “I looked at the leaders of these countries to get up, and the love and the passion they showed for their country were incredible. I have never seen anything like it. They want to protect their country, and they need the United States, and without the United States, it will not be the same. ”

The visual moved, said the president.

“I left here saying that these people really love their country,” he added. “It is not a scam. And we are here to help them protect their country. ”

Trump was also complimentary for having helped to make broker around the world – more recently between Israel and Iran, but also between Pakistan and India, as well as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – while expressing frustration towards the President of Russia for what he described as “poorly informed” points of view that perpetuated the Moscow war against Ukraine.

He described a bilateral meeting with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, as “very kind” – “he could not have been more pleasant,” said Trump – while offering Putin’s words, an unusual position for a president who has repeatedly referred to the Russian chief as a friend and potential partner.

“Vladimir Putin was more difficult,” Trump told a Ukrainian journalist whom he was trying to provide Kyiv with patriotic anti -missile defense batteries – a request for Ukrainian government.

Trump also said he was open to sending additional defense funds to kyiv if Putin did not progress to a cease-fire. “Regarding money, we will see what’s going on-there is a lot of mind,” he said.

“Listen, Vladimir Putin must really end this war,” he added.