West must have the will to survive, warns Trump
Donald Trump warned that the West must show a “will to survive” in Warsaw yesterday, as he lashed out at Russia and North Korea on the eve of the G20 summit. In a visit to the Polish capital before flying to Hamburg, the president was met with thunderous applause as he called on the Western alliance to defend its values “at all costs”.
‘For its protection, Europe must do more. It must show it believes by investing in the defence of its future’
DONALD TRUMP warned that the West must show a “will to survive” at a speech in Warsaw yesterday, as he lashed out at Russia and North Korea on the eve of the G20 summit.
In a visit to the Polish capital before flying to Hamburg, the president was met with thunderous applause as he called on the Western alliance to defend its values “at all costs”.
He stressed the importance of Nato and claimed that the relationship between Europe and the US was “stronger than ever” – despite his fractious relationship with Angela Merkel, the German chancellor.
In response to North Korea’s test launch of a long-range nuclear missile this week, he said: “They are behaving in a very, very dangerous manner and something will have to be done.”
Discussions on how to tackle the rogue nation will be a top priority for world leaders when they meet in Hamburg for the G20 summit today.
“As the Polish experience reminds us, the defence of the West ultimately rests not only on means, but also the will of its people to prevail,” Mr Trump told a cheering crowd. “The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost? Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilisation against those who subvert and destroy it?”
Arriving in Hamburg last night, Theresa May said she would back tougher sanctions on Pyonyang. “First of all we absolutely condemn the actions that North Korea has taken,” the Prime Minister said adding China must play a “greater role” in exerting its influence
“If there are proposals to tighten sanctions and extend sanctions then we would support that,” she said.
In a move that would have reassured a host troubled by Russian aggression in Ukraine, Mr Trump stressed American support for Article 5 of the Nato treaty.
“The United States has demonstrated with its actions, not just words, that it stands firmly behind Article 5,” he said. “Words are easy, but it is actions that matter. And for its own protection, Europe, and you know this: Europe must do more. Europe must demonstrate it believes in its future by investing in the defence of its future.”
Mr Trump received an enthusiastic reception from the crowd with many chanting “Donald Trump” and “USA! USA!” It came after Mr Trump held a joint press conference with Andrzej Duda, the Polish prime minister, where he admitted that Russia “could have” interfered in the US election.
In a rare criticism of President Putin, he claimed Moscow was “destabilising activities in Ukraine and elsewhere”. When asked if the US had given up on working with China’s Xi Jinping, he told reporters: “Never give up.”