Germany's leader says all countries must respect existing borders, in a rebuttal of Trump

BERLIN -

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that the principle of inviolability of borders applies to every country, however powerful, and suggested that expansionist comments by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump are meeting with "incomprehension" among European leaders.

Trump on Tuesday said he would not rule out the use of military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland -- an autonomous territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally and a member of NATO and the European Union. He declared U.S. control of both to be vital to American national security.

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In a hastily arranged statement to reporters, Scholz said he spoke earlier Wednesday with several European leaders, whom he didn't name, and the president of the European Council.

He said it was a longstanding central principle that "borders must not be moved by force," a principle that Russian President Vladimir Putin violated with his war in Ukraine.

He said that during Wednesday's discussions "a certain incomprehension became clear regarding current comments from the U.S."

"The principle of the inviolability of borders applies to every country, regardless of whether it lies to the east of us or the west, and every state must keep to it, regardless of whether it is a small country or a very powerful state," Scholz said.

"It is a fundamental principle of international law and a key part of what we call western values," he added.

Scholz did not refer to Trump by name or mention the details of his comments.

The center-left Social Democrat, who is seeking a second term in an early election next month, also noted that NATO is "a central pillar of the transatlantic relationship."

At his news conference on Tuesday, Trump said he believes that NATO should dramatically increase its spending targets, with members committing to spend at least five per cent of their GDPs on defense spending, up from the current two per cent.

Germany, a target of Trump's ire for failing to meet the latter target during his first term, raised its spending to meet it in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Scholz said there is a "regulated procedure" within NATO for determining the necessary military capabilities. He said "it is important that we stand together and act in unity on these questions."