EU against Trump: on Nato silly ideas. Biden's warning: 'Dangerous words'

The Kremlin's no comment, already happy to have brought home the wink of the (probable) next Republican candidate for the White House. And the stymied comment of diplomacy and the EU institutions, unaccustomed to sudden changes of course. especially on the transatlantic alliance front. These are the reactions of Russia and Europe to the latest shock stance of Donald Trump, who in a recent rally in Conway, South Carolina, said he was ready to "encourage" states like Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" of NATO countries that do not fulfil their financial commitments, relaunching his campaign against allies reluctant to increase their defence contribution to 2% of GDP.

"I'm still Putin's press secretary, not Trump's," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov was content to say in the aftermath of the Trumpian exit, according to Tass. "Let's be serious: Nato cannot be an à la carte alliance: either it exists or it doesn't. I'm not going to spend my time commenting on every silly idea that comes up during this election campaign in the US," the EU High Representative Josep Borrell, on the sidelines of the informal Development Council in Brussels, commented on the former US president's words. "Let me be sarcastic," he added, "during this election campaign we will hear many things. But let's be serious: NATO cannot be an alliance à la carte, an alliance that works depending on the mood of the president of the United States: one day yes, the other no, it depends on who you are...come on, let's be serious".

US President Joe Biden also attacked the former president. calling the remarks "frightening and dangerous". warning US voters that Trump's second term would destroy American relations abroad and embolden the country's enemies. "If my opponent, Donald Trump, succeeds in regaining power, it will be as clear as day that he will abandon our Nato allies if Russia attacks and allow Russia to 'do what it wants' with them," he explained in an interview. "Serving as commander-in-chief is the ultimate responsibility and should weigh heavily on the people who hold this office," he continued. "Donald Trump's admission that he wants to give Putin the green light for further war and violence, to continue his brutal attack on a free Ukraine and extend his aggression against the people of Poland and the Baltic states is frightening and dangerous." Republican rival Nikki Haley also criticised Trump for the comments, warning the former president not to 'take the side of a thug', referring to Putin. Haley added that, if elected president, she would 'absolutely' side with NATO.