NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit Washington next week for what a spokesperson for the military alliance called a "long-planned visit" that comes after President Donald Trump blasted European allies over differences on the Iran war.
"I can confirm that the Secretary General will be in DC next week for a long-planned visit," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said. A White House official also confirmed the visit.
No further details of the trip were immediately available.
Trump said he was considering pulling the U.S. out of the Western military alliance due to the refusal of European members to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
In remarks on Wednesday to allies gathered for an Easter lunch at the White House, Trump criticised France and the United Kingdom, among other U.S. allies, as a “paper tiger."
NATO, which includes European countries, the U.S. and Canada, was formed in 1949 with the aim of countering the risk of Soviet attack and has been the cornerstone of the West's security ever since.
“We've had some very bad allies in NATO,” Trump said. "Hopefully, we're never going to need them. I don't think we will need them."
NATO, which includes European countries, the United States and Canada, was formed in 1949 with the aim of countering the risk of Soviet attack and has been the cornerstone of the West's security ever since.
Trump told Reuters on Wednesday (1 April) that he would state in an address to the nation later in the day that he was "absolutely" considering withdrawing the U.S. from the NATO alliance.
"I'll be discussing my disgust with NATO," he said of the speech. Asked if he was thinking about pulling out of NATO, he said, "Oh, absolutely without question. Wouldn't you do that if you were me?"
Trump's remarks reflect his ongoing frustration with NATO and came just hours after his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO's collective defence, a concept that lies at the heart of the alliance.
Experts say it is not clear whether Trump could act unilaterally to leave the 77-year-old coalition, even though he frequently makes major decisions without congressional approval, some of which are held up by U.S. courts.
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Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he will “most likely” hold bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during next month’s NATO summit in Ankara, where the American leader is expected to attend.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 1,000, with health officials warning that the outbreak is spreading rapidly through displacement camps and across borders.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he will “most likely” hold bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during next month’s NATO summit in Ankara, where the American leader is expected to attend.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
The European Union and Taliban officials held talks in Brussels on Tuesday on consular services and the situation of Afghans whose asylum applications have been rejected in Europe.
China’s anti-corruption authorities have launched an investigation into Bian Zhigang, a senior defence and space official, over suspected serious violations of discipline and law, officials said on Wednesday.
Alibaba, one of the world's largest technology and e-commerce companies, has sued the U.S. Pentagon after being added to a blacklist of firms it claims support China's military, escalating a dispute with potentially significant consequences for the company.
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