NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is traveling to Washington for a meeting with US Donald Trump. The talks will focus on Europe’s role in the Iran war. Trump has recently accused European allies of not providing sufficient support to Washington.
In an interview with US broadcaster Fox News, Rutte rejected the criticism. He pointed to the numerous takeoffs and landings of US military aircraft at European bases during the war. “As far as NATO is concerned, I know there is disappointment, but we should also consider that these are isolated cases,” Rutte said. Europe serves as a “platform for power projection” for the US, the NATO chief added.
The US administration has repeatedly complained that some allies have denied overflight rights or refused the use of military bases. Rutte, however, stressed that Europe’s geographic proximity to Africa and the Middle East significantly facilitates US military operations. European bases are indispensable for American military logistics, he said.
Trump himself renewed his criticism on Monday. He named Britain, Germany, and Italy as examples of countries that had not helped enough but did not provide specific allegations. The meeting with Rutte comes just two weeks before the NATO summit in Ankara, where the alliance’s strategy in the Iran war is expected to be a central topic.
Source: www.tagesspiegel.de
