Defense Minister Theo Francken is currently visiting the US to discuss the crisis in NATO. President Trump has strongly criticized the alliance in recent weeks. “Every time we argue, Vladimir Putin drinks champagne,” says Francken. “I think he drinks a lot of champagne.”
Hans Renier
Journalist at HLN
Source: CNN, belga
LOOK. Theo Francken at CNN: “We are stronger together”
Defense Minister Francken visited the Pentagon, the American Ministry of Defense, on Tuesday in Washington. He tried, among other things, to convince American defense companies to invest in Belgium.
He is also in the US to talk about the crisis within NATO. “We are in a marriage crisis,” Francken said in an interview at the American think tank Atlantic Council. “There is a lot of frustration and misunderstanding on both sides, and sometimes anger. That is dangerous. That is why we have to talk.”
Every time we argue in NATO, Vladimir Putin drinks champagne
On the American news channel CNN, Francken emphasized that the US also needs allies. “Without allies, every empire collapses,” Francken said. “America FirstI can understand that. But America Alone not. You need allies, even the US. Every time we argue in NATO, Vladimir Putin drinks champagne. I think he drinks a lot of champagne.”
Defensive alliance
Francken labels the current transatlantic relationship as “a marital crisis”. US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the alliance in recent weeks. He called NATO a “paper tiger” and also accused European NATO member states of remaining too aloof from the conflict in Iran.
“The frustration about NATO not being committed is a bit strange,” says Francken. He emphasizes that NATO is a defensive alliance whose aim is to defend its own territory.
Francken says he is optimistic that NATO will remain united. In practice, he sees no signals for an American withdrawal from NATO.
