U.S. May Not Defend NATO Allies Against Russia Attac, says Trump

Speaking with the New York Times on Wednesday, the billionaire called into question whether he would automatically extend the security guarantees that give the 28 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization the assurance that they have U.S. military support. He specifically referred to the small Baltic states which share borders with Russia.

Trump’s comments come as President Vladimir Putin oversees the biggest Russian military build up at its western border since the collapse of communism. The Kremlin is spending 20 trillion rubles ($314 billion) on an ambitious defense upgrade through 2020, while NATO has approved plans to deploy four battalions to rotate through the region. The western alliance’s units, however, will still be dwarfed by Russia’s forces on the other side of the border.