Trump Criticizes NATO's Ukrainian War Spending, Faces Backlash

During a ceremony at the Oval Office, Trump stated the Ukraine-Russia conflict wouldn’t have occurred under his leadership. He emphasized NATO countries must raise their defense budgets to 5% GDP for fairness with U.S. efforts. His comments drew sharp criticism from German politicians.

US President Donald Trump, at a signing ceremony in the Oval Office on Monday, claimed that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine would not have erupted under his presidency. He expressed intentions to resolve the current situation swiftly, asserting his leadership would prevent such crises.

Trump further remarked that NATO nations should allocate 5% of their GDP to defense budgets, criticizing the current disparity with U.S. contributions. He highlighted that the U.S. has spent $200 billion more on Ukraine than NATO, despite the conflict geographically affecting Europe more.

Trump's comments, particularly on NATO spending, received backlash from German politicians. Ralf Stegner of the SPD condemned the proposal as "delusional," while others suggested a 3% GDP target would be more appropriate.

(With inputs from agencies.)