NATO leaders at the summit in Ankara decided not to mention the World Cup under US President Donald Trump so as not to annoy him.
This is reported by The Guardian, citing European officials.
This “strategy” was discussed by European leaders on the sidelines of the summit, amid concerns that the US president could destabilize NATO by threatening to under-spend on defense. Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever was the first to say so, saying he would not discuss his country’s 4-1 victory over the US earlier this week. The politician joked that Trump “has a reputation for being a bit of a jerk sometimes about things he doesn’t like”.
However, the media writes that de Wever could not resist and still hinted at football in the presence of the US president. During a conversation about NATOʼs readiness to provide Ukraine with €70 billion, he said: "This is also a very strong ʼred cardʼ for Putin. A red card cannot be taken back just like that. You know that."
- The day before, Trump personally asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to suspend the suspension of American footballer Folarin Balogun. Balogun received a red card in a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for stepping on an opponentʼs ankle. In the end, FIFA allowed Balogun to play, but did not cancel the red card itself — it only suspended the punishment.
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