NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday he believes that some NATO countries were tested and failed amid Washington's criticism over European allies not getting involved in the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran.
Rutte's comments came after a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House earlier in the day on 8 April, where Trump vented his frustration with NATO as relations in the military alliance reached a crisis point over the Iran war.
"He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point," Rutte said on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper," after spending more than two hours at the White House.
"This was a very frank, very open discussion, but also a discussion between two good friends."
During the interview with CNN, the NATO chief was asked if he believed NATO countries were tested and failed.
"Some of them yes, but a large majority of European countries, and that's what we discussed today, have done what they promised before in a case like this," he told CNN.
Rutte spoke hours after White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt quoted Trump as saying of NATO, "They were tested, and they failed," during the Iran war.
Several NATO countries resisted supporting the U.S. military campaign against Iran by denying U.S. military planes use of their airspace or declining to send naval forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz for energy tankers.
Without specifying the countries, Rutte said his own view was that "some" NATO countries had failed to live up to their commitments in the Iran operation but that "the large majority of Europeans" had been helpful.
The White House did not disclose details of the talks. Trump posted on Truth Social after the meeting in capitalised letters that "NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again."
However, Rutte said he pointed to Trump that European countries assisted with logistics and other commitments.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior ...
A known Islamist suspected of driving a minivan into a crowd near a major LGBTQ Pride gathering in Berlin was shot dead during a police operation at a...
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham "will always put Britain's interests first", he told the BBC in an interview when asked whether he was willi...
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 25th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto recently offered the dismissed Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Mykhailo Federov an adviser role in Italy.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
An Israeli airstrike on Saturday (25 July) has killed the head of the Hamas-run police force in northern Gaza, Brigadier-General Abdel-Nasser Al-Maqadma, according to Gaza's interior ministry and local medics.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
U.S. strikes on Iran entered a 12th consecutive night, while Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, urging President Donald Trump to warn Tehran it would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
Global oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel for the first time in nearly two months on Thursday (23 July) after Yemen's Houthi movement said it had attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, raising fresh concerns about global energy supplies.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment