Source: Global Times
[Special Reporter of the Global Times, Wen Jian] According to a report by The New York Times on November 12, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on social platform X on the evening of November 11 questioning the necessity of NATO's existence, and then quickly deleted the post. Foreign media said this once again highlights the divergence of views between the US government and NATO.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau Material Picture Source: Visual China
The controversy over Landau's comments on NATO originated from another US diplomat - US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker. In his statement, Whitaker focused on his meetings with ambassadors from Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, and stated that "what happens in the Indo-Pacific region is crucial to transatlantic security, which is why NATO collaborates with global partners."
A day later, Landau replied to Whitaker using his own account, saying that he "obviously did not receive notification," and sarcastically commented that "our representative committee held a meeting on this issue, and NATO is still looking for problems to solve issues."
Landau later deleted the post. A spokesperson for the US Department of State tried to downplay it as "casual and light-hearted remarks," stating that "Deputy Secretary Landau's remarks reflect his desire to improve NATO and ensure its continued focus on its mission." However, Reuters reported that this comment clearly contradicts the views of NATO member states that see Russia as a survival threat. The report also mentioned that this incident occurs as NATO leaders prepare for a two-day summit in The Hague, Netherlands on June 24, where they will discuss US President Trump's proposal to increase member countries' defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7515573675328832052/
Statement: This article only represents the author's personal views. Please express your attitude by clicking the [Like/Dislike] buttons below.