- Title: Dutch Formin Koenders “baffled†by Trump’s NATO remarks
- Date: 17th January 2017
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) ENTRANCE TO GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING REFLECTION OF TV TOWER IN GLASS GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, AND DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER, BERT KOENDERS, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE GERMAN NATIONAL EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER, BERT KOENDERS, SAYING: "I was a little bit baffled yesterday by the notions on NATO (by Donald Trump). It's obviously not obsolete, its maybe even more important than it's been for many years, but nevertheless I think we all look forward also to working together with the United States and the trans-Atlantic relationship is more important than ever." CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER, BERT KOENDERS, SAYING: "We are living obviously in a state of flux in which we see changes in the trans-Atlantic relationship with the new (U.S.) president. We are faced with large challenges as to European integration, today there will be also a speech by the new prime minister from the U.K. on Brexit and Europe is, as you know, in a geographical situation in which we have to deal with a lot of challenges." KOENDERS AND STEINMEIER SHAKING HANDS AND LEAVING
- Embargoed: 31st January 2017 10:43
- Keywords: NATO Trump Europe Russia Koenders
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: NATO,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZGYMVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said on Tuesday (January 17) he was "baffled" by Donald Trump's remarks on NATO and that the new U.S. president will bring changes to the trans-Atlantic relationship with Europe.
"I was a little bit baffled yesterday by the notions on NATO (by Donald Trump). It's obviously not obsolete, its maybe even more important than it's been for many years, but nevertheless I think we all look forward also to working together with the United States and the trans-Atlantic relationship is more important than ever," Koenders said after meeting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin.
"We are living obviously in a state of flux in which we see changes in the trans-Atlantic relationship with the new (U.S.) president," he added.
In his first European newspaper interview Trump declared the NATO alliance "obsolete", praised Britain's exit from the European Union and gave his clearest hint yet that he would consider lifting financial sanctions on Moscow, which the United States and EU both imposed after Russia seized Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.
His new remarks drew public expressions of dismay from across Europe. On Monday (January 16) Steinmeier said they had led to "astonishment and agitation" in Brussels, where he was meeting EU counterparts.
Trump takes charge of U.S. foreign policy and becomes commander-in-chief of the military at a time when the 2014 Ukraine crisis has already prompted Washington and NATO to shift their focus from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq back towards the founding mission of defending Europe. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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