The US leaving Nato would not be the “end of the world”, Sir Ben Wallace said as he urged Europe to provide its own security and continue to back Ukraine.
The former defence secretary argued Britain and the EU nations would have to become less dependent on an “unpredictable” America under President Trump.
“I think we are already witnessing a new era, an era where we cannot take for granted US security guarantees,” Wallace told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday. “Now I deeply regret that and they have been the cornerstone of Nato and European security. If they were to pull out of Nato, undoubtedly we would be in a very different world.”
He referred to comments by JD Vance, the US vice-president, and others in the Trump administration about a potential withdrawal of US support from the military alliance of 32 states. Trump has himself questioned whether the US should honour its commitment to defend members who in his opinion do not contribute enough financially.
JD Vance, the US vice-president
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Wallace added: “That isn’t the end of the world if they pull out of Nato. Of course, it’s horrific. But we have the will in Europe and the money to fix our own security and defence.”
On Friday Trump claimed that he found it “easier” to deal with Russia than Ukraine as he continued to pressure Zelensky to begin peace talks. He even claimed that President Putin was “doing what anybody else would do” by intensifying his bombing campaign after the US suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine, including access to satellite imagery.
Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Friday. Further Russian strikes overnight left at least 14 people dead and 37 wounded, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said on Saturday. Missiles and drones targeted the eastern city of Dobropillia and a settlement in the Kharkiv region.
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire caused by a Russian strike in Dobropillia, Donetsk
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Wallace said Trump was “naive” about Putin’s desire for peace and questioned the US strategy. “The messaging is all wrong,” he said. “The messaging seems to be from Donald Trump: ‘I will bully Ukraine and I will give hope to Russia.’ That is the total wrong message you want to send if you want to push Russia back or make Putin think he had better come to the table.”
He urged Europe to source replacements for any support cut off by the US and claimed the Russian economy would collapse in 18 months if Ukraine continued to fight on.
Wallace said: “I think it is now our time. I just resolve myself even more that we are not going to let Putin win … I think we will see Ukraine, being a country that can manage to develop its own capabilities, will still fight.
“Putin is not stopping, he is not going to give up, and President Trump is naive to think so.”