WASHINGTON

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday rebuked those advocating American isolationism, hitting back at former President Donald Trump's recent controversial comments on NATO without naming him.

"I believe it is in the fundamental interest of the American people for the United States to fulfill our long-standing role of global leadership," Harris told Germany’s annual Munich Security Conference.

"As President (Joe) Biden and I have made clear over the past three years, we are committed to pursue global engagement to hold international rules and norms to defend democratic values at home and abroad, and to work with our allies and partners in pursuit of shared goals," she said.

"However, there are some in the United States who disagree, think that it is in the best interest of the American people, to isolate ourselves from the world, to flout common understanding among nations to embrace dictators and adopt the repressive tactics and abandon commitments to our allies in favor of unilateral actions," she said.

Describing this worldview as "dangerous, destabilizing, and short-sighted," Harris warned that such an approach would weaken America.

"President Biden and I therefore reject that view," she said.

"Imagine if America turned our back on Ukraine and abandoned our NATO allies and abandoned our treaty commitments," Harris continued. "Imagine if we went easy on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, let alone encouraged him."

"History offers a clue. If we stand by while an aggressor invades its neighbor with impunity, they will keep going. And in the case of Putin, that means all of Europe would be threatened," she added.

Trump last week argued that the US should not defend NATO members who do not meet certain defense spending goals.

"One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, ‘Well sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?'" Trump said at a rally in South Carolina.

"I said, 'You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?' He said, 'Yes, let’s say that happened.' No, I would not protect you."

Critics hit back at Trump’s remarks, saying they violated the NATO charter’s Article 5 on collective self-defense and misunderstood the US role in maintaining peace abroad, a goal which also serves American interests.