Washington,March 16 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that NATO faces a “very bad future” if its members fail to support Washington in its military confrontations with Iran and in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
In a phone interview with the Financial Times, Trump said that the alliance’s solidarity is increasingly tied to the extent to which its members participate in supporting U.S. military operations.
“It is only fair,” Trump added, “that those who benefit from the strait also contribute in ensuring nothing happens there,” noting that Europe and China rely heavily on Gulf oil, unlike the United States.
The president expressed dissatisfaction with the refusal of some NATO members , particularly the United Kingdom , to provide military facilities or allow the use of joint bases for strikes against Iranian targets, calling this a “test of allied commitment” and of “burden sharing.”
Trump stressed that if there is no response to the U.S. request, or if the response is negative, he believes this will have serious consequences for NATO’s future.
Regarding China, Trump threatened to postpone his upcoming summit with President Xi Jinping, scheduled in Beijing at the end of March, unless Beijing contributes to securing the strait, through which 90 percent of its oil supplies pass.
MHD
