NATO Secretary General denies US plans to withdraw troops from Europe
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte attempted to reassure European allies that Washington will maintain its commitment to the Western military alliance despite the harsh words of President Donald Trump, Reuters reports.
The US does not plan to immediately withdraw its military presence from Europe, despite calls for European countries to take responsibility for their own defense, Rutte stated before the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.
"They have no plans to suddenly reduce their presence here in Europe," Rutte said, referring to the US.
At the same time, he noted that Washington has interests in other parts of the world.
"But we know that since America is a superpower, it needs to be present in more theaters. It is entirely logical that you have this dispute, and we have been having this dispute for many years," NATO Secretary General stated.
Future of alliance
Europeans' faith in the US as the main defender of the continent against Russian aggression has seriously shaken due to Donald Trump's attempts to get closer to Moscow and his strong pressure on Kyiv in his desire to end the war against Ukraine.
In addition, in recent months, Washington has directly told European countries that it can no longer prioritize the security of the continent and that they will have to spend much more on defense.
Trump's words and actions have raised questions about the future of NATO - the transatlantic bloc that has been the cornerstone of European security for the past 75 years.
Ukraine negotiations
As Reuters notes, European ministers will likely also use the meeting to try to influence the negotiations Trump started with Russia regarding the war in Ukraine, triggered by Moscow's invasion in 2022.
A senior NATO diplomat said there is concern among Europeans that they are still not part of negotiations that are crucial for Europe's security.
"It's hard to accept, but it's a fact of life," the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US does not plan to leave NATO. However, he demanded that NATO members increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP - much more than Washington currently spends.
