US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith sharply criticized former US President Donald Trump’s statements about the defense spending of the North Atlantic Alliance member countries, calling them “dangerous and, frankly, irresponsible”. This is reported by dpa Agerpres.

“Encouraging the Kremlin to attack any NATO ally or Alliance territory really puts our soldiers, American soldiers and our allies’ soldiers at great risk,” Julianne Smith said in Brussels on Tuesday.

Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in November, said on the campaign trail in South Carolina on Saturday that the United States may not protect NATO allies that do not spend enough to defend against a potential Russian invasion. .

A swift response from European NATO members followed, given the skepticism Trump has shown during his tenure about the transatlantic alliance.

Alliances, including NATO, are the “cornerstone of US foreign policy,” Smith said. “They are not a charity project. They directly serve the interests of the United States and directly serve the interests of our allies,” she added.

“Supporting Ukraine has brought the EU and NATO closer together,” Smith said, adding that Washington was encouraged by the European Union’s efforts to increase defense spending following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At a campaign event in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump warned that he will not “protect” from Russia countries that do not meet the NATO goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense. “I would actually encourage them to do whatever they want,” Trump said of Russia, questioning the alliance’s commitment to collective defense.

The White House condemned his words as “horrific” and “insane.”

Read also:

• How Donald Trump defends himself after statements about NATO that inflamed spirits in Europe
• Which NATO countries do not allocate 2% of their GDP to defense, and which keep their commitments?