German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has called on European countries to approach their relations with the US government with confidence, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
It would be a mistake “to stare at the White House like a rabbit staring at a snake. That would lose focus on what we need to do: become more sovereign and more independent“, Pistorius said in an interview with the RND media group.
According to him, US President Donald Trump relies on uncertainty and fear to achieve his goals.
“Those who are afraid, however, make the wrong decisions. "That's why we shouldn't allow ourselves to be intimidated," the German defense minister said, referring to the resistance of European governments to Trump's aggressive push for the United States to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory belonging to Denmark.
Pistorius stressed that the United States needs Europe just as much as Europe needs the United States. He said Europe is of key geostrategic and geoeconomic importance to Washington.
"Imagine if Europe becomes a sphere of influence for Russia, if Russian President Vladimir Putin manages to push the Americans out or force them to withdraw. Then the United States would be squeezed between Russia and China. That would certainly not be in the interests of the Americans," he said.
Asked about the importance of the American air base "Ramstein" in West Germany, Pistorius said it was the most important US Air Force base abroad and that it played an "extremely central role for the US armed forces, for example in terms of operations in the Middle East".
When asked if Germany could also pose a threat, Pistorius replied: "My goal is to make it clear that the US also has an interest in a close partnership with us."
The German defence minister said he still had no doubts about the existence of common ground within NATO. He said there were also no signs that the US intended to leave the defence alliance.