Secretary of State Rubio: The US will stay in NATO, but Europe needs to pay up
US Secretary of State Rubio assured NATO European countries that the US would remain in NATO during a Thursday visit to Brussels. However, Rubio reiterated that the US under Donald Trump's leadership is now waiting for them to foot the bill.
On Thursday, Rubio traveled to Brussels to attend the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Upon arriving in Brussels, he said, "President Trump has made it clear that he supports NATO. We will continue to remain in NATO." Most European countries have been concerned about the possibility of the US withdrawing from NATO.
Rubio stated, "The US's active participation in NATO will remain unchanged." He also said, "I believe that the hysteria and exaggeration displayed by some global media outlets and certain domestic American media outlets regarding NATO are baseless."
Since Trump returned to the White House on January 20th, America's allies have been under pressure. Canada faces threats of being annexed by the US, as does Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Moreover, US officials have accused European nations of "taking advantage" and not paying their fair share.
NATO unity defender and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday to the press, "I know that some rhetoric has been harsh. I know that some European allies are worried about the US long-term commitment to NATO." He added on Thursday that the US has no plans to "suddenly" withdraw from the European continent and will continue to fully commit to the Atlantic Alliance.
According to AFP, citing Brussels diplomats, Rubio did not mention any timetable for a potential reduction in the US military presence in Europe.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828428627267786/
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