NATO head Mark Rutte and the new US ambassador tried to reassure European allies on Thursday that Washington will remain committed to the Western Military Alliance, despite the harsh words of President Donald Trump.
They made the statement while NATO Foreign Ministers would meet in Brussels with Europeans hoping that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would dissipate doubts about US position, even with tensions increasing about Trump’s new steep trade tariffs.
European belief in the United States as the continent’s final protector against any Russian attack was severely shaken by Trump’s attempt to rapproche with Moscow and the strong pressure on Kiev as he seeks to end the war in Ukraine.
In addition, Washington said rodelessly to European countries in recent months that he can no longer focus mainly on the safety of the continent and that they will have to spend much more in defense.
Trump government words and actions raised questions about NATO’s future, the transatlantic bloc that has been the basis of European security in the last 75 years.
The US has no plans to immediately remove its military presence in Europe, despite the requirements that European countries take care of their own defense, Rutte said before the meeting of foreign ministers.
“But we know that for America to be the superpower it is, they need to attend more theaters. It’s really logical that you have this debate, and we’ve been having this debate for many years.”
Matthew Whitaker, who began as the new permanent representative of the United States on Thursday (3), said he was starting at work “at a critical moment in the history of the alliance.”
“Under the leadership of President Trump, NATO will be stronger and more effective than ever,” he expressed in a statement. “But the vitality of the alliance depends on each ally to make its fair part.”
European ministers should also use the meeting to try to influence Trump’s negotiations with Russia about the Ukraine war, which was triggered by the Moscow invasion of 2022.
A senior NATO diplomat said there was discomfort among Europeans because they were not yet involved in essential negotiations for European security.
“This is difficult to swallow, but it is a fact of life,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
This content was originally published in NATO authorities seek guarantees on US commitment to alliance on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil

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