Washington, Jan 8 (NationPress) US President-elect Donald Trump stated that he can understand the Russians' feelings regarding President Joe Biden supposedly violating a deal that aimed to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.
The incoming US President reiterated his view that the Biden administration is responsible for instigating Russia's comprehensive invasion of Ukraine.
While discussing the factors leading to the conflict, Trump remarked that the possibility of Ukraine's NATO membership has been a significant concern for Russia for many years.
"A significant part of the issue has always been Russia, long before (Russian President, Vladimir) Putin declared that NATO involvement with Ukraine was unacceptable. Now, that's been firmly established. At some point, (US President Joe) Biden declared that Ukraine should be able to join NATO. Therefore, Russia finds itself with a neighbor right at their doorstep, and I can see why they would feel that way," Trump commented to reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Trump also criticized the negotiation tactics employed by Biden, stating, "There were numerous errors made during that negotiation. When I heard how Biden was conducting negotiations, I foresaw a potential war, and unfortunately, it has turned into a very detrimental conflict. This war could escalate into a much worse situation than we currently have," he responded to a query.
Previously, Trump has contended that Biden should not have made commitments regarding Ukraine's NATO membership, arguing that this was a catalyst for Russia's full-scale military actions.
Moreover, Trump emphasized that he would not abandon Ukraine in his attempts to mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"My perspective has always been that there was a mutual understanding. In fact, I believe they had an agreement which would have been a satisfactory solution for Ukraine and everyone involved. However, Biden insisted that they must be allowed to pursue NATO membership," he stated.
"This has always been the case, and I possess more knowledge about NATO than anyone else. Years ago, when I first got involved, I wasn't well-versed in NATO, but I figured it out nonetheless," he added.
Ukraine is currently pursuing NATO membership.
In 2008, NATO expressed support for Ukraine's inclusion in the alliance. However, NATO has yet to grant membership to Ukraine.
Trump also conveyed his desire for NATO member countries to contribute five percent of their GDP.
"NATO should operate at five percent," he asserted.
"You can’t sustain at two percent. If you're aiming for a country with a regular military presence, you're looking at four percent. I believe they are treading on dangerous ground. They can all afford it, yet they should be contributing at five percent, not two percent. I was the one who insisted they pay two percent," he remarked.
"They have been taking advantage. I was the one who pushed for this, and the (NATO) Secretary General was here a fortnight ago, stating that without my intervention, NATO might not even exist today. I was raised in countries that weren’t fulfilling their financial obligations back then; out of 28 nations, 20 were not paying their dues, precisely 21," he asserted.
"They weren’t fulfilling their obligations or were contributing a minuscule amount, and I managed to raise over $680 billion, according to what he said, by stating that if they don’t pay, we won’t provide protection. As soon as I made that statement, the funds started to flow in. However, Obama could have said it, as could others like Bush. But no one did except me. I endured a lot of criticism for it," he continued.
"They claimed that was a threatening statement. Well, they weren’t paying their bills. I told them we wouldn’t protect them if they didn’t fulfil their financial commitments. So, in a sense, I saved NATO, but NATO has exploited our resources. One of my concerns, which I have expressed openly, is to Ukrainian President Zelensky," Trump noted.
"Europe is contributing only a tiny fraction compared to what we are. Regardless of how you feel about it, Europe is significantly more impacted than the United States. We have an ocean separating us. Why are we responsible for billions more than Europe? Their collective economy is comparable to that of the United States, yet they are contributing only a small fraction of what we are," he added.
"I insisted that they must pay their dues, and one Prime Minister, whose name I won’t disclose, stood up during a notable meeting of 28 nations without the press present and asked if that meant if they didn’t pay their dues… I replied, if you are delinquent? He said yes. I stated that if you are delinquent, we will not protect you," Trump concluded.
