Trump strengthened NATO, according to North Macedonia

The comments made by American President Donald Trump on NATO, particularly his criticisms of European allies, have raised questions about the country’s commitment to the Alliance.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Timcho Mucunski, believes that this mandate corresponds to a historic summit for the defense coalition.

“In my opinion, thanks to President Trump, [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio, and the entire U.S. foreign policy apparatus, NATO is stronger than it has ever been,” he declared in an interview with Euronews’ “12 Minutes With” program.

He added that this assessment was “undeniable” after last year’s summit in The Hague, where members committed to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.

“It is a very ambitious program, but also very necessary, considering not only the threat posed by Russian aggression against Ukraine, which continues, but also threats in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East,” Mucunski continued, stating that President Trump had sounded an “alarm bell” for NATO.

“There will be disagreements among member states, as in the past. But if we look at the fundamentals, after the summit in The Hague, thanks to the leadership of the United States, we are at a point where the Alliance is stronger than ever,” he added.

NATO members will meet again in July in Ankara. “We will assess what we have accomplished over the past year,” Mucunski said.

The minister’s statements on this point sharply contrast with the sentiment prevailing in many European capitals. Since the beginning of his second term as President of the United States, Trump’s relationship with allies across the Atlantic has been tumultuous.

He has referred to the Alliance as a “paper tiger,” continually provoking European partners, criticizing their defense spending – even going so far as to say he would “encourage” Russia to do as it pleases against NATO allies who do not spend enough – and more recently, threatening to suspend Spain and withdraw troops from Germany.

However, Mucunski believes that North Macedonia’s accession to the Alliance in 2020 has been positive for the country. “It has brought North Macedonia the stability it desperately needed in an extremely volatile region,” he emphasized, adding that NATO is “undoubtedly the most powerful collective security community that civilization has known and probably will ever know.”

Context: The article discusses the impact of President Trump’s comments on NATO and the positive outlook of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia towards the Alliance.

Fact Check: The content includes statements made by the Minister and reflects contrasting views on NATO between European allies and President Trump. The information about North Macedonia’s accession to NATO and its aspirations for EU membership is also highlighted.