France may become EU’s military backbone if US leaves NATO
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton claimed last year that during a NATO summit in 2018, then-US President Donald Trump “came very close to withdrawing from the alliance right there” at the gathering.
MNA- Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton claimed last year that during a NATO summit in 2018, then-US President Donald Trump “came very close to withdrawing from the alliance right there” at the gathering.
The EU may turn to the Lisb. ty if US President-elect Donald Trump withdraws America from NATO, Professor Stavros Kalenteridis of the Aegean College in Athens told Sputnik.
Such a scenario could take place if Trump makes good on his previous threats against the alliance, according to Kalenteridis.
The professor recalled that Trump had warned earlier that the US would not protect those NATO members who fail to be in line with a minimum defense spending requirement related to the alliance’s budget.
"This could weaken NATO and prompt the EU to turn to Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty, which contains a clause pertaining to the EU’s mutual assistance," Kalenteridis added.
The scenario could pave the ground for France’s leadership in the EU, given that the country "has historically sought an independent military course and sometimes deviated from NATO's route," the pundit pointed out.
He didn’t rule out that "the future French president could sever Paris’ ties with NATO," which the professor argued "in the long term would benefit Russia," which has repeatedly cautioned the alliance against its eastward expansion.
