German Defense Minister: The USA does not intend to leave NATO
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius assured that the United States does not show intentions to leave the North Atlantic Alliance. He drew an analogy with a crisis in a long-term marriage but does not see reasons for serious concerns.
In his interview with RND, Boris Pistorius commented on the situation around trust in NATO regarding the United States’ support for allies in case of an attack. The minister compared the current state of affairs in the Alliance to a marriage that has lasted for over two decades, in which crises of trust and alienation may arise. According to him, such crises may provoke a desire either to break up or to solve issues constructively if the foundation of the relationship still exists. Pistorius noted that he has no doubts about the presence of a common foundation in NATO relations.
At the same time, the minister emphasized the absence of signs that the USA plans to leave the Alliance. He also expressed the opinion that the only beneficiary of the debates around the crisis situation might be Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The crisis in NATO is related to US President Donald Trump’s intention to expand control over Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark. In early January, Trump pointed to the potential necessity of choosing between owning Greenland and the existence of NATO, which created some tension in the Alliance. The US Treasury Secretary faced difficulties when responding to questions about what is more important from the perspective of US national security — NATO membership or ownership of Greenland.
| Country | Control | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Support for NATO | No signs of US exit |
| USA | Considering Greenland | Uncertainty in choice |
| Russia | Observation | Potential beneficiary |
