US doesn't invite key allies to meeting on NATO's future
Photo: Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth(Getty Images)
The Pentagon did not invite the United Kingdom, France, and the Baltic states to a meeting on NATO’s future, raising concerns among diplomats over a possible deepening of divisions within the Alliance, reports Politico.
According to six diplomats familiar with the preparations for the meeting, the event in Poland, organized by US Deputy Secretary of War Elbridge Colby, will serve as a working group to discuss NATO’s future.
However, the United Kingdom, France, and the Baltic states, which have substantial defense budgets and play an important role in the Alliance, did not receive invitations, prompting their representatives to seek clarification on the reasons behind this decision, the media noted.
Diplomats fear that the US administration may be favoring certain allies, which would further exacerbate divisions within NATO.
“We’re doing everything that is being asked of us. We’re trying to understand what the criteria is and what the purpose of these meetings are. Not much has been passed on to us yet,” emphasized a representative of one of the excluded allied countries.
The White House did not respond to the request for comment, and the Pentagon declined to comment.
Media outlets previously reported that the US is considering a plan for a large-scale reduction of its military presence in Europe, which could involve the withdrawal of tens of thousands of troops, as well as aircraft, ships, and weapons.
