Germany Is Nobody’s ‘Captive,’ Mr. Trump
The NATO ally isn’t any more dependent on Russian gas than it was during the Cold War.
A little frosty for July.
Photographer: Bernd von Jutrczenka/picture alliance via Getty Images
President Donald Trump sees a clear link between U.S. security guarantees under the North Atlantic Treaty and American trade with the alliance’s member states, in particular when it comes to liquefied natural gas sales to Germany. But he isn’t likely to change the reality of Germany’s energy needs and plans.
At the NATO summit in Brussels on Wednesday, Trump said Germany was “totally controlled” by Russia, which supplies some of the U.S. ally’s energy. “So we’re supposed to protect you against Russia but they’re paying billions of dollars to Russia and I think that's very inappropriate,” Trump said. “Germany is a captive of Russia because they got rid of their coal plants, they got rid of their nuclear plants. They're getting so much of the oil and gas from Russia. I think it’s something NATO has to look at.”