Trump expects concrete commitments within the next few days to deploy warships or other military capabilities from Europe.
The US is increasing pressure on its European partners to send military forces to the Strait of Hormuz. As UNIAN informs, Der Spiegel writes about this. The PromPolitInform portal reports.
According to the publication, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told European capitals that US President Donald Trump expects concrete commitments within the next few days to deploy warships or other military capabilities from Europe. Political promises, such as those made after the war began, are no longer enough.
According to several European diplomats who were briefed after the NATO Secretary General’s meeting with Trump, the American leader’s demand is tantamount to an ultimatum.
“While Berlin has also signaled in recent days its general willingness to participate in a joint mission in the strait, the German government insists that certain criteria must be met, such as a credible UN mandate and a lasting ceasefire or even a negotiated truce,” the report says.
In addition to the demand for the Strait of Hormuz, Trump is putting enormous pressure on NATO partners with further threats. According to US media reports, he is currently compiling a list of European NATO partners that have supported him in the war against Iran or opposed it. Reports say that Trump intends to withdraw US troops from countries that have shown resistance. Spain is likely to be at the center of this list, its government even refusing the US Air Force the right to fly fighter jets and tanker aircraft.
Germany, on the other hand, has not imposed any restrictions on the US use of its main bases. Nevertheless, Trump identified the German government as an opponent of the war, mainly through a striking phrase that the military campaign is “not our war.” Although the quote originated with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the White House immediately attributed it to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has always maintained a more diplomatic tone.
Most Europeans See the U.S. as a Threat, Not an Ally
As reported, a new Politico Pulse poll of six major EU countries found that the U.S. is perceived more as a threat than an ally under Donald Trump.
Only 12% of respondents in Poland, Spain, Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy considered America a close ally, while 36% called it a threat. China was seen as a threat by only 29% of respondents in these six countries.
The most negative attitude towards the U.S. was found in Spain, with 51% of respondents considering Washington a threat. In Italy and Belgium, this figure was 46% and 42%, respectively, in France – 37%, in Germany – 30%. Poland was an exception: only 13% of respondents consider the United States a threat.
