Berlin, Germany. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Monday rejected demands by U.S. President Donald Trump for military support in the war against Iran. He also downplayed warnings that the stance of allies could harm NATO.
Rejection of military support demands
Pistorius questioned what European naval assets could achieve in the Strait of Hormuz compared with the capabilities of the U.S. navy. He said, “What does (…) Donald Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful U.S. navy cannot do?”
“This is not our war”
Pistorius said Germany was not responsible for initiating the conflict. “This is not our war, we have not started it,” he said.
NATO outlook
Asked about Trump’s warning that NATO faces a “very bad” future if its members fail to come to Washington’s aid, Pistorius said he did not anticipate NATO to fall apart over these differences.
What do you think Pistorius’s comments mean for NATO’s cohesion?
