Pence reassures allies of Trump’s Nato support, tough Russia stand
BOSS’S MESSAGE: The US will continue to hold Russia accountable, even as we search for new common ground, says vice-president; Russia seeks constructive ties with US
MUNICH: US Vice-President Mike Pence sought to reassure European allies on Saturday of his country’s “unwavering” support of Nato amid unease about President Donald Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy stance, particularly towards Russia.
During a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Pence said he had come to deliver a message from Trump that “the United States of America strongly supports Nato and will be unwavering in its support of this transatlantic alliance.”
Trump has often referred to Nato as “obsolete,” although he and his cabinet have since talked about how vital the alliance is.
Pence, who is on his first overseas trip as vice-president, said the US would “hold Russia accountable” to the 2015 Minsk agreement, which committed Moscow to disarm separatists in eastern Ukraine. “Know this,” said Pence. “The United States will continue to hold Russia accountable, even as we search for new common ground, which as you know President Trump believes can be found.”
Pence said that the US would strengthen its military arsenal and increase its defence spending, and that the country would become”stronger than ever before” under Trump. A senior Russia lawmaker expressed disappointment at Pence’s remarks,which he said “unequivocally blamed” Russia for the violence in eastern Ukraine.
In a Facebook post, Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the Russian upper house of parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said the Trump administration’s stance towards Moscow was contradictory.
During a short speech in Munich, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that his country is seeking a “constructive” relationship with the US, adding that “Russia is not seeking conflict with anyone but will protect its interests.”
Lavrov’s comments were critical of Nato, which he said remained an institution of the Cold War.
Earlier on Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the conference that Nato is “very much in the German and the European interest, but also in the interest of the United States.”
The German leader emphasised the importance of maintaining multilateral structures, and acknowledged that Europe needs the strength of the United States to fight international terrorism.
Merkel and Pence held a bilateral meeting after their speeches at the conference, which brings together 30 heads of state and government as well as 80 foreign and defence ministers in the Bavarian capital.
Steffen Seibert, a spokesman for Merkel, emphasised the “close and amicable bilateral relationship” between the two countries and said the two leaders had spoken about the conflicts in Syria, Libya and Afghanistan and about the peace process in eastern Ukraine.