Finnish President Alexander Stubb urged allies to listen to US President Donald Trump's words about the risks to NATO's future in connection with the passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reports.
On Sunday, March 15, Trump said that NATO and Asian allies should help ensure the flow of oil and gas supplies through the key waterway, which has been effectively closed since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Trump said that NATO faces a “very bad” future if American allies do not provide assistance.
“Obviously, we have to take everything the president of the United States says seriously“, the politician said.
Stub noted that countries that “have the capacity and the will to help“ the United States “will do so and should do so“, while emphasizing that NATO is a defensive bloc and “does not engage in military attacks on its own“.
A day earlier, on March 16, Trump reported on the initial results of the war with Iran. He stated that since the beginning of the conflict, the United States had struck over 7,000 targets in Iran and destroyed all Iranian minelaying ships. The Republican condemned his allies for refusing to help Washington in the Strait of Hormuz.
During an event at the White House, Trump recalled that the US has 45,000 troops in Japan, the same number in South Korea and 50,000 in Germany. "We defend all these countries, and then we ask: 'Do you have minesweepers?' They say: 'Well, can we not participate?' - protested the Republican.
Germany, Sweden and Finland have previously rejected Trump's calls to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz as part of a joint security mission. The “Telegraph“ claims that the UK has taken the same position.
The US “has gained nothing“ from NATO and “has never needed“ from the alliance, Trump claims. He also expressed doubt that NATO countries would come to the aid of the United States if necessary. Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said there was no guarantee that NATO would survive during a Trump presidency.