Donald Trump comes to Europe for the NATO summit in The Hague. Where it will be accommodated
US President Donald Trump is heading to Europe to meet other NATO countries in The Hague, in a summit that will discuss a significant increase in members of defense expenses, according to the US press.
The White House leader flies to the Alliance meeting a few hours after announcing that Iran and Israel have reached a fire termination agreement.
Both Iran and Israel violated the armistice, Trump said before boarding Air Force One, according to The Guardian and NBC News.
He told a group of journalists that he would try to stop the armistice's violations, when he was asked about the situation in the Middle East, which has not yet calmed down.
Israel had previously accused Iran of violating the armistice by launching missiles and promised to “respond with force”. Tehran had denied the accusations.
What Trump wants from allies
The US president hopes to get a commitment from NATO allies during the summit to spend at least 5% of GDP for defense, notes CBS.
But, the day before his arrival, the alliance has already agreed to increase the defense expenses, according to Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO. He told reporters in an information meeting on Monday that, as a result of Trump's leadership, NATO is “on the way” to make that 5%”historical commitment”.
The United States spent about 3.4% of GDP for defense in 2023, but the president said he believes that the US should not have the same target of 5%.
“I have supported NATO for so long, in many cases, I think, paying almost 100% of costs,” he told reporters on Friday. “So I don't think it should, but I think NATO countries should, absolutely.”
However, there is no clear calendar for 5% commitment, and reaching this threshold could extend until the 2030s for some NATO countries, supplying the criticisms that the 5% promise could be one without substance.
President Nicușor Dan, along with other heads of state, such as Emmanuel Macron and Volodimir Zelenski, is also present.
Where will Donald Trump be accommodated
US President Donald Trump will spend Tuesday night on Wednesday at the Huis Ten Bosch Palace, the official residence of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Nethers, before attending the main meeting with NATO leaders in The Hague, according to EFE.
The Dutch government information service has announced that Trump has accepted the invitation of the Willem-Alexander monarch to spend the night in the same palace in which the king will receive the heads and government heads for a dinner at the NATO summit that takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, writes the Spanish press agency, the dinner.
Initially, it was believed that the US president would sleep in a hotel in the city of Noordwijk, in the South Holland province, near Hague. There, for a few days, the American flags fluttered, and the authorities evacuated the area around the hotel and strengthened security measures.
Former US president Barack Obama was staying at the same hotel during a Hague visit in 2014.
Trump will have breakfast with kings Wednesday morning, before leaving for the World Forum, the Congresses Center that will host the main meeting of the NATO Summit, where the alliance leaders are expected to discuss the latest details of the statement that will include the organization's priorities.
