YOAN VALAT ; POOL/EPA
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (L) and US President Donald Trump (R) greet each other during the family photo greeting ceremony at the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
“Strong friendship requires respect”, warns Meloni. Donald Trump’s statements “also insult Portugal”, says Augusto Santos Silva.
New day, Trump under fire again for a controversial statement. This time, the US president, who has harshly criticized (almost humiliated) NATO and European Union countries, stated that the allies “were a little removed from the front line” and that the United States “never needed them” during the 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan.
In an interview on Thursday with the North American channel Fox News, Donald Trump once again criticized the role of NATO member states and caused several European countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Denmark, to express outrage at his statements.
The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloniwho has always been close to Trump and with whom he was until recently, expressed surprise and demanded respect from the North American President.
“Italy and the United States are united by a strong friendship […] which becomes even more necessary given the many challenges we face today. However, friendship requires respect, a fundamental condition for us to continue guaranteeing the solidarity that is the basis of the Atlantic Alliance”, added Meloni.
The leader of Italy’s ultra-conservative government recalled that, “after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, NATO activated article 5 for the first and only time in its history: an extraordinary act of solidarity with the United States”.
“Italy responded immediately alongside its allies, sending thousands of soldiers and assuming full responsibility for the Western Regional Command, one of the most important operational areas of the entire international mission,” continued Meloni.
The Italian Prime Minister also recalled “the price paid” across the country: “53 Italian soldiers were killed in action and more than 700 were injured while participating in combat operations, security missions and training programs for Afghan forces.”
“This is why statements that minimize the contribution of NATO countries in Afghanistan are unacceptable, especially when they come from an allied country,” concluded Meloni.
The former Portuguese Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs Augusto Santos Silva also repudiated the accusation, praising, in a message on the social network Facebook, the “professionalism and competence” of thousands of Portuguese soldiers and considering that the Donald Trump’s statements “also insult Portugal”.
Santos Silva held the Defense portfolio between 2009 and 2011 and Foreign Affairs between 2015 and 2021, occasions when he dealt “closely with the operation in Afghanistan”.
The French President, Emmanuel Macronreiterated his “gratitude” to the families of French soldiers killed in Afghanistan, after the “unacceptable” statements made by Trump.
“These unacceptable statements do not require comment. It is to the families of the fallen soldiers that the Head of State wishes to offer comfort and reiterate the gratitude and respectful remembrance of the nation”, said a source from the French presidency, cited by the agency France-Presse (AFP).
France maintained a military presence in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014, suffering 89 deaths and more than 700 injuries in this theater of operations.
