Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to NATO and Trump’s first special envoy for Ukraine, spoke about tensions between Washington and its allies on the program ‘Europe Today’. The president is unhappy with European defense spending and the stance on Iran, Volker said. However, this is exaggerated, as the US did not consult its allies before the military operation against Tehran.
Trump recently accused several NATO states of not supporting the US and Israel in the joint war against Iran. Spain and Italy denied US forces use of their bases, and France did not allow Israeli weapons shipments through its airspace. According to Volker, the US could have used the infrastructure if it had asked beforehand. He called the portrayal that Europe was not there for Washington a distorted picture.
Despite his criticism, Trump plans to attend the NATO summit in Ankara – out of respect for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. If the meeting were held elsewhere, he probably would not come, Trump said. Volker confirmed that Trump has a good relationship with Erdoğan and does not want to spoil his show.
Source: de.euronews.com
