BRUSSELS — (CNN) US Defense Secretary James Mattis reaffirmed America’s support for NATO on Wednesday, describing the alliance as a “fundamental bedrock for the US and all the transatlantic community.”
Speaking in Brussels at a meeting of defense ministers, Mattis also reiterated US President Donald Trump’s calls for fellow members to meet the requisite spending targets.
Only five of the 28 member states currently meet the alliance’s spending target of 2% of GDP. While Mattis stated the US was committed to NATO, he did warn that Washington would not be shy in confronting those who are failing to pull their weight financially.
Mattis, a former NATO commander, referred to the organization’s headquarters as his “second home” as he met with fellow defense ministers for the first time.
“It’s a fair demand that all who benefit from the best defense in the world carry their proportionate share of the necessary cost to defend freedom,” Mattis said.
“It is ultimately freedom we defend at NATO. I do have confidence that we will prove once again that we can react to the changing circumstances.
“We’ve done so in the past and there’s every reason and confidence that we will move out fully together once again.”
Trump’s take
Trump labeled NATO “obsolete” during a January interview, but his stance has softened since then.
Earlier this month, Trump vowed strong support for the alliance and committed to attending a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in May after speaking to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
NATO also said that the two men “reconfirmed the importance of the alliance in troubled times.”
There had been consternation over Trump’s position on NATO during the campaign.
He was particularly critical of the 23 members of the alliance which are not meeting the recommended defense spending levels of 2% of GDP.
Of NATO’s 28 members, just the US, Greece, Poland, Estonia and the UK met the target.
During a joint interview with the Times of London and the German publication Bild ahead of the inauguration, Trump made plain his fears over the transatlantic alliance.
“I said a long time ago that NATO had problems,” he said.
“Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago.
“Number two, the countries weren’t paying what they’re supposed to be paying,” adding that this was to the detriment of the US.
But speaking earlier this month at the headquarters of US Central Command in Florida, Trump was more positive.
“We strongly support NATO,” he said.
“We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing. Many of them have not been even close.
And they have to do that.”
Pence visit
US Vice President Mike Pence is set to meet with Stoltenberg in Brussels on February 20, when they are expected to discuss the ongoing partnership and Trump’s stance on spending.
Speaking alongside Mattis, Stoltenberg said the US “has been clear that we need more defense spending, and fairer burden-sharing.”
He cited figures which showed that defense spending among European allies and Canada had gone up by 3.8% in real terms in 2016, which he says is approximately $10 billion.
“This is significant, but it is not enough,” he said. “We have to continue to increase defense spending across Europe and Canada. So, we need to keep the momentum.”
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