The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that the US is not against NATO and remains a reliable partner of this organization, but they are in favor of NATO increasing its capabilities.
He stated this on April 3 before the opening of the NATO Foreign Ministersʼ Summit in Brussels, a Babel correspondent reports.
"The US is NATO, the US is active in NATO as before. And this hysteria, which has been spread in some world and American media, has no basis," he noted.
Rubio recalled that Trump has already stated that the United States remains in NATO, and this is evidenced by the newly appointed US ambassador to the Alliance.
"But we want NATO to be stronger," he stressed, adding that the only way to do that is for our partners to be more capable.
“The advanced economies of the rich can afford it. We understand that this is a compromise. We do it every year. We also have our domestic needs, but defense is a priority because of the role we have played in the world and we want our partners to do the same,” he noted.
The Secretary of State added that a full-scale war in the heart of Europe is a reminder that force is needed as a safeguard.
Rubio understands that NATO member countries will not be able to increase defense spending in a year or two, but stressed the importance of getting this process started.
Foreign ministers of NATO member states also agreed with journalists that they should increase defense spending.
- Trump has repeatedly demanded that European leaders invest more money in NATO. He has previously said that he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever it wants” with NATO member states that have failed to meet their financial obligations to the alliance.
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