The NATO Secretary General Lütte briefed Trump: During the U.S.-Iran conflict, NATO allies provided "massive" logistical support
On June 24 local time, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Faced with Trump's ongoing criticism of NATO allies for allegedly standing idly by during the U.S.-Iran military confrontation, Rutte actively defended European allies during the meeting. He explicitly told Trump that during the U.S.-Iran military conflict, NATO allies had offered extensive logistical assistance to U.S. forces, stating, "Overall, the allies indeed extended help."
While affirming the overall performance of NATO, Rutte also candidly acknowledged internal divisions and individual exceptions within the alliance. He pointed out that although the vast majority of countries fulfilled their commitments, some nations still refused to grant access to U.S. military aircraft via their airfields and airspace. To substantiate Europe’s tangible support for Washington with concrete facts, Rutte specifically cited an example during the meeting: earlier this year, Bucharest Airport in Romania temporarily suspended civilian flights to fully accommodate U.S. military aircraft landings, takeoffs, and logistical coordination.
However, Rutte’s statement clearly diverged from the actual actions and official positions of several European countries. Just as Rutte emphasized that "500 U.S. aircraft took off from Italian bases to support operations against Iran," the Italian Ministry of Defense immediately issued a formal denial. In an official statement, Italy clarified that only technical and logistical activities were permitted under the current agreement—explicitly excluding any war-related operations—and criticized Rutte’s remarks as "surprising" and "completely misleading." Additionally, Germany explicitly rejected providing base access or airspace support for U.S. military operations directed toward Iran.
Analysts suggest that Rutte’s disclosure to Trump was essentially a crisis public relations maneuver aimed at appeasing the U.S. and maintaining the superficial unity of the transatlantic alliance. Although Rutte strongly emphasized Europe’s active contributions in areas such as base security, logistical support, and ensuring the free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, many European nations remain extremely cautious and reserved about directly engaging in military hostilities against Iran. This "ambiguous consensus" reflects deep strategic disagreements within NATO.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868927003353100/
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