There were signs, too, that Mr. Trump and the allies remain at odds over Russia, which is deeply unsettling given mounting questions about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mr. Trump has a point when he says the allies should increase their military budgets, which they have started to do, partly in response to Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine. Against this history, Mr. Trump’s repeated scolds are not just condescending but embarrassing. The NATO nations are mostly democracies with vibrant free markets that have helped America keep enemies at bay, including in Afghanistan. There was more of the same in Brussels, with Mr. Trump shoving aside the prime minister of Montenegro, which recently defied Russia to join NATO, on his way to a front row spot for a photograph.

Source: New York Times May 26, 2017 07:18 UTC