Estonia’s PM says Trump’s NATO comments should be wake-up call for allies to invest in defense

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Recent comments made by U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump on NATO should be a wake-up call for NATO members who haven’t invested much in defense, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told reporters on Monday.

“I think what the presidential candidate in America said is also something to maybe wake up some of the allies who haven’t done that much,”, she said at a joint press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

Metsola said that the European Union should spend more on defense.

She added that the EU should send a clear message “irrespective of who will lead the next American administration (…) that we are strong enough to be able to defend each other and that any statement of that sort needs to be recognized with the danger that it brings, but also a steadfastness on our regard that we need to do more.”

Trump suggested the United States might not protect NATO allies who aren’t spending enough on defense from a potential Russian invasion.