Czech president Petr Pavel has said Donald Trump has damaged NATO’s credibility more in the past few weeks than Vladimir Putin managed over several years, according to comments reported in Europe live coverage on Thursday.
Pavel, who is a former senior NATO general, also argued that it is unfair to expect the alliance to automatically take part in wars that are being fought beyond its own territory.
The remarks come amid fresh reporting on discussions inside NATO about how to respond to Trump’s push for concrete support on security in the Middle East. Two European diplomats told Reuters that NATO secretary general Mark Rutte has briefed some capitals that the US president wants specific commitments within the next few days to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.
The report appears to back up a claim published on Wednesday by the German business daily Handelsblatt, which said NATO was considering a naval mission aimed at securing the strait in an effort to appease Trump.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes, and any move by NATO to play a role there would mark a significant political step for the alliance. The reporting suggests European capitals are now weighing how far they are prepared to go in response to pressure from Washington.
Pavel’s intervention adds to a growing debate over NATO’s purpose and limits, particularly when it comes to conflicts outside the alliance’s own territory. His comments underline the tension between collective defence at the heart of NATO and broader expectations that member states should support military action elsewhere.
Rutte’s reported outreach to capitals also highlights the speed with which the issue is moving. According to the Reuters report, Trump wants concrete commitments within days, leaving European governments with little time to settle on a unified approach.
For now, the discussions remain at the level of briefings and reporting rather than any confirmed NATO decision. But the combination of Pavel’s criticism and the reports about the Strait of Hormuz has sharpened questions about the alliance’s credibility, leadership and willingness to answer demands from the White House.
