Increased NATO financial obligations should not apply specifically to the United States, asserts Trump
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Ukraine War Live Updates +++ 23:56 Trump: The US Shouldn't Adhere to the New NATO Spending Target
Donald Trump, the former US president, suggests that the US shouldn't comply with the new NATO defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP. In an interview, he stated, "I think they should do that. I don't think we should. But I think they should." The US has traditionally been a significant supporter of NATO, and Trump claims that the country has often carried a heavy financial burden, bearing almost 100 percent of the costs[1].
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticizes Putin for his unwillingness to strive for peace after appearing at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum. Zelenskyy urges that Russia desires war. He points out that Russia continues to pose threats and that the pressure exerted on Russia isn't harsh enough[2]. Despite Putin's claims, Zelenskyy reveals that the Russian economy is experiencing significant problems, despite Putin's optimistic speeches[2].
The female-led drone defense unit in the Ukrainian military is reportedly in the works, aiming to defend against drone attacks. This news was reported by the news portal "Ukrajinska Prawda"[3].
Zelenskyy calls the Russian intentions in Sumy "insane" and asserts that Ukraine is successful in defending the Sumy region from Russian advances. Russian soldiers have been infiltrating the region, but they haven't occupied it since the early stages of the war. Russia intends to create a buffer zone in Sumy to prevent further Ukrainian advances towards the Russian border region of Kursk[4].
There's an air alert throughout the eastern half of Ukraine and the region of Kiew in the evening due to the presence of Russian drones. Multiple drone groups are presently in the air, including ones heading towards the region of Kiew[5].
Ukrainian forces are reportedly on the offensive against a Russian military base in the occupied city of Tokmak, according to Petro Andriushchenko, a former advisor to the mayor of Mariupol and head of the Center for Occupational Studies[6].
For the first time, Putin hints at the possibility of capturing the regional capital of Sumy. Putin affirmed that he doesn't aim to capture Sumy but didn't rule it out. Russian troops have gradually captured more and more settlements in the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine for months[7].
Spain successfully negotiated an exemption from the new 5 percent defense spending target, arguing that such a steep increase would be unrealistic and detrimental for its economy. Spain has struggled to meet even the original 2 percent spending level[8].
With these uncertainties in place, it's clear that the NATO summit in The Hague will be an eventful gathering where alliance members will negotiate the future trajectory of defense spending.
You can track previous developments here.
Sources:[1] : politico[2] : nytimes[3] : ukrajinskaprawda[4] : dw[5] : cnn[6] : nytimes[7] : dw[8] : bloomberg
- The debate over employment policy within NATO member countries becomes complex, as some suggest adhering to the new spending target of 5 percent GDP, while others, like Donald Trump, argue against it, citing the financial burden it might impose.
- As the NATO summit approaches, various communities, like Ukraine, are grappling with their own employment policies, particularly regarding defense spending, while also navigating politics and general news related to their ongoing conflicts.
