Washington (News Agency) : The Republican Party’s Presidential candidate Donald Trump is the first candidate to take a stand laying down a condition that, ‘After I become the President of the United States of America, if Russia attacks the Baltic states then US will first consider whether the Baltic states have done their duty towards NATO and the US, before coming to their rescue”.

Donald Trump has earlier raised questions about the huge value of military assistance provided by the US to countries like Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. He has opined that there was no harm in Japan defending itself by developing it’s nuclear capability at the same time Trump has taken an aggressive stance to take help from India to try and control Pakistan’s nuclear armaments.

Trump’s views on United States defense policy has evoked strong reactions internationally as well as from within the United States. It is clear from his new announcements that even after getting confirmation about the Presidential nomination from the Republican Party, Donald Trump has held his views about US’s defense policy. In an interview to the American daily ‘The New York Times‘ Trump has indicated however that he would adhere to the existing treaties made by US.

Trump has warned that the US would honor its commitment only if it’s allies stopped taking undue advantage of the generosity of the United States. He signaled his expectation that other nations would soon learn to reconcile with this stance. Trump has clarified that this stance is a part of his “America First” policy. Trump has said that if America had to protect itself then it will be possible even from the American soil.

NATO has expressed disappointment at the remarks made by Donald Trump. ‘Solidarity among allies is NATO’s important principle. I don’t wish to intervene in United States elections. But Two World Wars have shown that peace in Europe is also important to the security of the United States’, said NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg criticizing the statement made by Donald Trump.

As per the provisions of NATO’s Article 5 established under the US leadership, any attack on the NATO countries is considered to be an attack on NATO. This provides that in such a scenario NATO would unitedly retaliate against the assailant nation. But the statement made by Donald Trump appears to completely rubbish this policy of NATO.