Abdelrahman
Trump-Putin Phone Conversation: A Reality Check for Ukraine and NATOpublished at 18:07 Greenwich Mean Time
Frank Gardner
Security Correspondent
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin share a distinct personal connection.
This relationship is somewhat concerning, especially considering that during Trump’s initial term, he openly stated a preference for Putin’s perspectives over those of his own intelligence agencies, which alarmed the U.S. intelligence community.
However, the fact that these two leaders have common ground to discuss is a somewhat positive indication.
It’s essential to understand Trump’s main priorities: he focuses on issues such as securing the southern border, trade policies, and relations with China, showing little interest in European matters.
His core message to NATO allies has been clear: ‘Ukraine is a European issue, and it is your responsibility to address it and invest more in your own defense.’
In the UK, there has been significant debate regarding whether to increase defense spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP, but Trump’s insistence on a 5% allocation—surpassing even U.S. spending—is seen as unrealistic for most European nations.
Countries like Spain and Italy are currently spending less than the required 2%, prompting the U.S. to question why its taxpayers should bear the financial burden for European defense if these nations are unwilling to invest adequately.
As a result, today’s developments serve as a sobering wake-up call for both Ukraine and NATO.
