Secretary of State Marco Rubio Photo: Getty images
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated the United States’ unequivocal support for NATO and stressed that the United States will remain an active member. He said this today in Brussels during a joint statement with the NATO Secretary General before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, AP reports.
“The United States is NATO, it is as active in NATO as it has always been. And all of this hysteria and speculation that I’ve seen in the global media, as well as in some of the local media in the United States itself, is unfounded. The President of the United States has made it very clear – he supports NATO, and we will stay in NATO… But we want NATO to be stronger and more capable,” Rubio said.
He emphasised that NATO is made up of powerful economies of developed countries that have the resources to strengthen their defence capabilities. Rubio noted that the US domestic needs are also significant, but defence remains a priority due to the country’s global role.
“We want our partners to do the same. I understand this domestic policy, which has been aimed at building social systems for decades. But we need to invest more in national security,” the Secretary of State added.
According to Rubio, a full-scale war in Europe reminds us of the importance of “hard power” to deter aggressors. He expressed hope that NATO member states would commit to reaching 5% of GDP in defence spending.
Rubio also noted that President Trump supports NATO, but insists that the Alliance has the necessary resources to fulfil its obligations.
“It’s a hard truth, but it has to be told now,” the US Secretary of State stressed.
