On March 31, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States is “very disappointed” in NATO and that after the end of the war with Iran, Washington will likely have to rethink its relationship with the Alliance.
On April 1, US President Donald Trump, in an interview with The Telegraph, also criticized NATO for refusing to participate in the war against Iran. The head of the White House called the Alliance a “paper tiger” and said that he was seriously considering the possibility of the United States leaving NATO.
In response to these statements, Senators Coons and McConnell expressed support for NATO, calling it “the most successful military alliance in history” that has provided US security for more than 70 years.
The senators stressed that the only time NATO used force was in response to an attack on the United States. They also mentioned the participation of NATO troops in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq alongside American forces, noting the importance of the allies' shared sacrifices.
“The United States must not take this sacrifice lightly, nor the commitment of our allies to make it again,” the statement said.
It also said that internal disagreements are common in any alliance, but the United States is safer when “NATO remains strong and united.”
The British edition of The Guardian also quotes these politicians, noting that the statement was made that any attempt to leave the Alliance “will not only realize the most secret dreams [нелегитимного президента РФ] Vladimir Putin and [президента Китая] Xi Jinping, but also undermines US national security interests.”
Context
Following Trump's criticism of NATO, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on April 1 that NATO remains the most effective defense bloc in history. Starmer stressed that “regardless of the pressure” on him and the leaders of other countries, he will put national interests first and will not allow Britain to participate in the war.
Polish Minister of National Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also responded to Trump's statement, noting that “there can be no NATO without the United States, but there can be no American power without NATO.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the Alliance is not participating in the US-Israeli military operation in Iran, but supports strikes to reduce Iran's military potential. In particular, he said, 22 countries are working on issues of assistance to the United States in ensuring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
CNN reported that NATO members were puzzled by Trump's harsh statements. The Alliance emphasizes that NATO is defensive in nature and is not obliged to participate in US and Israeli operations. At the same time, the allies emphasize that the principle of collective defense under Art. 5 applies only in the event of an attack on a NATO member country.
