Trump talk rouses Europe

CONTROVERSIAL: COMMENTS STIR UP MIXED FEELINGS

President-elect slams Germany, Nato and proposes ties with the UK, Russia.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) is “obsolete”, Germany’s Angela Merkel made a “catastrophic mistake” on refugees, Brexit will be “great” and the US could cut a deal with Russia, Donald Trump said on Sunday in interviews with European media.

Five days before his inauguration as the 45th president of the US, the billionaire populist made controversial comments about European allies in interviews with British newspaper The Times and Germany’s Bild.

He extended a hand to Russia, hit by a string of sanctions under his predecessor Barack Obama over Moscow’s involvement in Ukraine, the Syrian war and for alleged cyber attacks to influence the US election.

The US president-elect suggested a deal, in which nuclear arsenals would be reduced and sanctions against Moscow eased, but gave no details.

Washington’s European allies imposed sanctions against Russia over Ukraine in 2014. Those measures were renewed on December 19.

In comments set to cause further consternation among eastern European Nato countries nervous about Moscow following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and involvement in Ukraine, Trump said Nato was “obsolete”.

“Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago,” he said.

“Number two, the countries aren’t paying what they’re supposed to pay.”

Cost has been a source of friction within the 28-nation alliance over recent years. The core contributor is the US, accounting for about 70% of spending.

In other remarks, Trump said he backed a trade deal with post-European Union Britain, which would be “good for both sides”. “We’re gonna work very hard to get it done quickly and properly,” Trump said, confirming he would meet British Prime Minister Theresa May soon.

“Other countries will leave” the European Union, Trump said, due to the pressure the bloc was put under following an uptick in migrants and refugees arriving.

Trump criticised Merkel for letting Germany admit undocumented migrants, insinuating this posed a security risk.

The prime minister took flak at home after her open-door policy aimed at Syrian refugees brought 890 000 asylum seekers to Europe’s biggest economy in 2015, contributing to the rise of an anti-migrant movement.