pence allays fears of nato member states
Allies sceptical despite assurances
munich — US Vice-President Mike Pence on Saturday brought a message of support for Europe from Donald Trump but failed to wholly reassure allies worried about the new president’s stance on Russia and the European Union.
In Pence’s first major foreign policy address for the Trump administration, the vice-president told European leaders and ministers that he spoke for Trump when he promised “unwavering” commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) military alliance.
“Today, on behalf of President Trump, I bring you this assurance: the United States of America strongly supports Nato and will be unwavering in our commitment to this transatlantic alliance,” Pence told the Munich Security Conference.
While Poland’s defence minister praised Pence, many others, including France’s foreign minister and US lawmakers in Munich, remained sceptical that he had convinced allies that Trump would stand by Europe.
Trump’s contradictory remarks on the value of the Nato, scepticism of the 2015 deal to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and an apparent disregard for the future of the European Union have left Europe fearful for the seven-decade-old US guardianship of the West.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Twitter expressed his disappointment that Pence’s speech contained “Not a word on the European Union”,
Know this: 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 Mike Pence, US vice-president
although the vice-president will take his message to EU headquarters in Brussels on Monday.
Pence’s tough line on Russia, calling Moscow to honour the international peace accords that seek to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, were welcomed by Poland.
“Know this: 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.
The message was selective, but one that largely reassured the transatlantic allies of the support from the United States. By clearly stating that US “strongly supports” NATO, Mike Pence, US Vice-President, used his first foreign policy address at Munich Security Conference to soothe nervous European allies. Pence said the US would be “unwavering” in its commitment to Nato, and it would remain a broader international organisation in the post cold war global order. He also mentioned that US would “hold Russia accountable” even as the US searches for new common ground with Moscow at the start of Donald Trump’s presidency. The message marks a turn, maybe for good, in the relationship with the continent that has been concerned about Russian aggression, and also alarmed by Trump’s positive statements about Russian President Vladimir Putin. The address to heads of states, foreign diplomats and security officials also sought to reassure international partners that Trump, after all, may not pursue isolationist policies.
It is the first time that Pence, accompanied with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, is giving the world leaders a hint of the course US policymaking would be taking. However, in his 20-minute address, he did not raise other key issues such as EU, terrorism, Iran, relations with China etc. Maybe Pence will touch a bit on these issues in Brussels on Monday, where he will talk with European leaders and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. It is important that Pence treats these opportunities well. The US is Europe’s biggest trading partner, the biggest foreign investor in the continent and the EU’s partner in almost all foreign policy issues, as well as the main promoter of European unity for more than six decades. Even though condensed in just 140 characters, a slew of messages of Trump, and interviews have made world leaders edgy. It is especially true for leaders in Europe, who had raised their eyebrows when Trump called NATO ‘obsolete’ and rubbished German leader Angela Merkel’s open door policy towards refugees, calling it a ‘catastrophic mistake’.