NATO, EU SHOW UNITY FRONT AMID TRUMP’S CRITICISM

NATO and the European Union made a public show of unity Tuesday in the face of criticism from Donald Trump, hailing their deepening co-operation as the U.S. president-elect insists European allies start pulling their own military weight.

In the presence of EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, NATO foreign ministers endorsed more than 40 proposals for boosting co-operation on cybersecurity, sea operations, and helping neighbouring countries defend themselves.

“Today, we really mark a milestone in our effort to build co-operation,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters during a break in a two-day meeting in Brussels.

Trump lambasted European nations during his presidential campaign for not investing enough in defence and said he wants NATO to do more to combat terrorism.

Despite doubts about what the future holds, Stoltenberg said he is “absolutely certain that the United States will remain committed to the trans-Atlantic bond, will remain committed to NATO and will live up to ... the security guarantees to Europe.”

Of the 42 proposals, onequarter deal with countering so-called “hybrid threats” such as propaganda, political and economic interference, or disguising trained military personnel as militias, as Russia did in Ukraine.