Germany: US still committed to NATO despite tough stance on EU
There are some sentences in new US national security strategy that do raise questions but 'the core of the alliance, standing together, Article 5, is completely undisputed in Washington and Berlin,' Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says
BERLIN
Germany on Friday said it is convinced that the US remains committed to NATO despite its tough position on the European Union.
“There are also very clear statements in the national security strategy regarding the security of the United States that are related to NATO and contain a commitment to NATO,” Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told public broadcaster ZDF.
“There are some sentences in it that raise questions here; that's perfectly clear.” But “the core of the alliance, standing together, Article 5, is completely undisputed in Washington and Berlin,” he added, reacting to the US document, which is fueling concerns in Europe about transatlantic unity.
Asked whether Europe would now stand pretty much alone in its support for Ukraine and its own defense, Wadephul replied: “The United States is very clearly committed to NATO.”
The nuclear umbrella protects Europe and ensures that it is politically capable of acting every day. “I advise that we do not question things that the US itself does not question,” he added.
The new US national security strategy document, released last week, outlined the Trump administration's priorities in foreign and security policy. It focused on the Indo-Pacific region while rejecting European governments' characterization of Russia as an "existential threat.”
The 33-page document also included contentious observations about Europe, warning of the continent's economic decline and the "real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure" within the next 20 years. It also criticized the stance taken by European governments against EU-skeptical, far-right, and anti-immigration movements.
In a sharp break from previous strategy documents, it argued: "The larger issues facing Europe include activities of the European Union and other transnational bodies that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent and creating strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence.”
