Commitment to alliances
Harris: America will continue to lead
February 16, 2024, 6:28 p.m
Presidential candidate Trump recently indicated that he might leave individual NATO countries to fend for themselves. US Vice President Harris clearly rejects this. She emphasizes that America cannot and will not withdraw. It also reminds us of the support after September 11th.
According to its Vice President Kamala Harris, the USA will not go down the path of isolation. “In these troubled times, it is clear that America cannot retreat,” Harris said at the Munich Security Conference. “And America will continue to lead.” Harris was reacting to statements by US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who had threatened European allies not to defend her as US president if they did not spend enough on armaments. At the same time, Harris made a clear commitment to America’s commitment to NATO.
“They believe that it is in the best interests of the American people to isolate themselves from the world, to disregard common agreements between nations, to embrace dictators and to adopt repressive tactics,” Harris criticized, alluding to Trump without saying so “This worldview is dangerous, destabilizing and indeed short-sighted,” she emphasized. “Such a view would weaken America and undermine global stability and prosperity.”
In the eyes of the US government, NATO is central to global security and the greatest military alliance the world has ever seen, she said. NATO was founded on a simple premise: an attack on one member is an attack on all. All NATO members have always kept this promise, even after the terrorist attack on the USA on September 11, 2001, she emphasized. “Isolation is not protection,” Harris said.
She also warned that the US Congress would fail to approve further aid for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia. This would be a “gift” to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, Harris said. Ukraine urgently needs “important weapons and resources”. Referring to allies in Europe, the US vice president said: “You have made it clear that Europe will stand with Ukraine. And I will make it clear that President Joe Biden and I will stand with Ukraine. “
After weeks of negotiations, the US Senate passed a corresponding bill with billions in aid for Ukraine a few days ago. It is still completely unclear whether the draft will also pass in the other chamber of parliament, the House of Representatives. The Republicans have a slim majority in the House of Representatives, and members of the right-wing fringe of the party have long been opposed to further US aid to Ukraine.