Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
ROME, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's claims that non-American troops within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have stayed away from the front lines in Afghanistan.
In her statement on Saturday, J. Meloni recalled that after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty for the first and only time in its history in solidarity with the United States.
“Italy responded immediately, along with its allies, by deploying thousands of troops and assuming full responsibility for Regional Command West, one of the most significant operational areas of the entire international mission,” the statement emphasized.
According to J. Meloni, Italy has paid an “undeniable price”: over almost 20 years, 53 military personnel have died and more than 700 have been wounded during combat operations, security missions and training programs for Afghan forces.
As the statement notes, for this reason, comments that downplay the contribution of NATO member states in Afghanistan are unacceptable, especially when they come from an ally.
J. G. Stere supported the position of the Italian Prime Minister, calling D. Trump’s words “disrespectful.”
"The fallen, their families, and those who served in Afghanistan deserve to be treated fairly and respectfully," J. G. Støre wrote on Facebook. "The statement made by the US President is disrespectful. I understand that both veterans and their families react strongly to it," the Norwegian Prime Minister said.
On January 22, D. Trump said in an interview with the Fox Business television channel that the United States never needed soldiers from other NATO countries during the war in Afghanistan, who, as he put it, “stayed a little behind the lines, a little behind the front lines.” –0–
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