Whitaker was responding to the MSC report's assessment that the greatest threats to the liberal international order “come from within” and are the result of the current U.S. administration's dramatic change in its attitude toward alliances.
The ambassador stated that the US does not want to dismantle NATO, but only to “balance” the defense burden of individual countries of the North Atlantic Alliance. — That's the first thing I reject. We are trying to strengthen NATO. “It's not about withdrawing from the alliance, but about NATO operating as intended as an alliance of 32 strong and capable allies,” he said.
What did the US ambassador to NATO say about the MSC report?
What are the concerns contained in the Munich Security Conference report?
What changes in defense spending did Ambassador Whitaker propose?
When will the Munich Security Conference be held?
On trade, Whitaker said the US wanted to challenge an “unfair” trade deal with the EU that “led to Europe taking advantage of the situation and running huge trade surpluses with the US.” He added that the term “free riding” is accurate when referring to security and trade. President Donald Trump accused European countries of “free riding” even before he was elected president for his first term.
On security, Whitaker said, European partners must actually increase defense spending and show they can “keep” their promises, including NATO's new spending targets.
Pressured by journalists, the ambassador slightly distanced himself from Trump's aggressive rhetoric, said the British daily. He added that during his first term, he learned that “responding to every Truth Social post or President Trump's tweet is a full-time job.”
Alarming MSC report. “The Wrecking Ball”
The MSC report published on Monday is titled “Under Destruction.”
“The world has entered a period of wrecking ball policy. Widespread destruction has become a daily occurrence, instead of careful reforms and policy adjustments. The most expressive of those who promise to free their country from the constraints of the existing order and rebuild a stronger and richer state is the current US administration. As a result, more than eight decades after it began to be shaped, the post-war international order created under the leadership of the United States is in the phase of destruction,” wrote the authors of the report.
MSC will be held on February 13-15. Dozens of presidents and heads of government, as well as a large group of foreign and defense ministers, are expected to appear at the conference.
