US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the media report about the likely withdrawal of US forces from Europe “hysteria”. He began by offering condolences to the US military personnel who died in training in Lithuania and insisted that this was proof of the US presence.
“Thank you for your condolences to the four Americans who tragically lost their lives during an important exercise. We honour them and it also reminds us that the United States is a member of NATO. We are as active as we are now, the United States is as active in NATO as it has ever been. And some of this hysteria and hyperbole that I see in the world media and some domestic media in the United States about NATO is unwarranted. President Trump of the United States has made it clear that he supports NATO, we’re going to stay in NATO,” Rubio said.
This is his first visit to NATO headquarters as US Secretary of State.
He added that the US president “is not against NATO. He is against a NATO that does not have the capabilities necessary to fulfil the obligations that the treaty imposes on each member country.”
Rubio also insisted that “no one expects” that members will be able to achieve increased defence spending in a year or two, but “the path has to be realistic”.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, ahead of the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, also assured that the US has no intention of rapidly reducing its presence in Europe.
“There are no plans for them to suddenly reduce their presence here in Europe,” Rutte said.
On 3-4 April, NATO foreign ministers in Brussels will discuss collective defence. According to Secretary General Mark Rutte, increased investment in defence is a key issue on the agenda.