NATO chief focuses on alliance unity after US alters pledges
Key takeaways
- NATO's secretary general went to great lengths to cast a positive light on the alliance ahead of a ministers' meeting.
- His statement, ahead of a NATO defense ministers' meeting on Thursday, came after the US told allies last month it would cut the military assets committed to the alliance in a crisis.
- "In some cases this has been cast as a problem — as the US pulling away from its allies," he said.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
NATO's secretary general went to great lengths to cast a positive light on the alliance ahead of a ministers' meeting. The closest he came to addressing any tension was saying members have "a lot to talk about."
https://p.dw.com/p/5FYKKRutte repeated that NATO allies had 'stepped up' to fill potential gaps left by a US decision to reduce forces pledged to protect Europe Image: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa/picture alliance Advertisement The United States is not stepping back from NATO despite its cuts to forces available to the alliance, and European members are prepared to contribute more troops if necessary, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday.
His statement, ahead of a NATO defense ministers' meeting on Thursday, came after the US told allies last month it would cut the military assets committed to the alliance in a crisis.