How seriously do NATO allies take Trump's comments on Russia? | DW News

Western leaders have criticized Donald Trump for saying he would not protect NATO allies who are not spending enough on defense, from Russian attacks. The Republican front-runner Trump said he had previously told NATO states he would encourage Russia to do whatever they want if they didn't fulfill their commitments to the bloc. Trump has regularly lashed out at members of the alliance for failing to spend at least two percent of their economic output on defense. The EU's foreign policy chief has condemned Trump's comments, saying NATO is not an alliance where members can pick and choose their own rules.