The Secretary General of the Alliance, Mark Rutte, while emphasizing that Europe and Canada are called upon to shoulder a greater share of defense spending.

As he stated, “Donald Trump is fully committed to NATO,” in an effort to allay concerns that have been expressed from time to time regarding Washington’s stance toward the Alliance.

At the same time, Rutte pointed out that the U.S. commitment comes with the reasonable expectation that Europe and Canada will balance defense spending within the Alliance, thereby strengthening their contribution to collective security.

Referring to developments in the Middle East, the NATO Secretary General described the new strikes against Iran as “absolutely necessary,” while noting that the United States’ dissatisfaction with certain allies regarding the Iranian issue is limited to “isolated cases” and does not reflect an overall disagreement within the Alliance.

“When there is a ceasefire and Iran is essentially violating the ceasefire, I believe it is absolutely crucial for the U.S. to respond decisively,” Rutte told reporters ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara.

On the issue of Greenland, Rutte stated that “there is a good process underway,” without providing further details, implying that the matter is being addressed through the established diplomatic channels.

Mark Rutte’s remarks are intended to reinforce the image of NATO’s cohesion, at a time when the Alliance is facing increased geopolitical challenges, both in Europe and in the Middle East.

Source: ertnews.gr