European allies in NATO are stepping up their military spending, just as Donald Trump wanted. They’re pointing to common interests, such as concerns over China. They’re creating American jobs by buying U.S. weapons. In words, deeds and arms deals, leaders of the United States’ partners in NATO are making the case for the military alliance in ways likely to appeal to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Even if their actions aren’t necessarily directly tied to Trump’s prodding, the allies are casting them in terms he would approve of — and maybe take credit for. It’s not clear what Trump would do about U.S. participation in NATO if elected. He’s shrugged off questions from reporters even as President Joe Biden has cast him as a threat to the 75-year-old Western military alliance. But European leaders are worried. With Russia intensifying missile attacks on cities in Ukraine, a democracy in the heart of Europe, the battle to keep the U.S. in NATO is far more than gamesmanship for European partners. For some, it’s existential. “If Ukraine loses, my country’s next. That’s clear,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said during the NATO summit in Washington this past week. His government is raising taxes to keep up with an urgent push, shared by the majority of European NATO members, to strengthen military capability in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. At the summit, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made a point of saying that allies had gotten Trump’s message, with a record 23 of the 32 now spending at least the agreed-upon 2% of their gross domestic product on their militaries. “The United States has been understood. Allies have acted,” Stoltenberg declared in response to one of many questions about a possible Trump withdrawal from NATO. Stoltenberg and most others had previously said that it was largely Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine that had unleashed security spending by NATO members in Europe. Indeed, in 2021, only six allies had met the spending target. The message from Europe, as it makes the case for the country with the biggest military and economy to stay engaged: The U.S. is good for European allies and NATO. And NATO and European allies are good for the U.S. And a Europe that’s safe and stable is a great market for the U.S. “This defense of Europe is not only defense tied with values — it is, it’s the alliance, it’s democracy, it’s values. But you know, it’s business,” Jacek Siewiera, the head of Poland’s national security bureau, said in an interview with The Associated Press before the summit. Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas ticked off the priorities that his country would share with Trump if he returns to the White House — making European defense more self-reliant, buying more U.S. weapons and thus generating more business for the U.S. arms industry, confronting perceived security threats to the West from China, and sanctioning Iran. “He’s a deal-maker,” Kasčiūnas said during a panel discussion at the summit. “I think we should sit, calm down, and if he will win — find a deal.” With the U.S. election in turmoil following Biden’s poor debate performance and struggles since to prove he’s capable of serving another four years, European officials need to maintain a delicate balance. They stress publicly that they will work with […]