Secretary-General Mark Rutte reassured NATO allies at the annual summit in The Hague that the United States remains fully committed to the alliance and its principles. Amidst pressure from the Trump administration to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP, Rutte expressed optimism for agreement among members and emphasized the importance of collective defence against threats. He addressed concerns about the US's willingness to support NATO, affirming the clarity of its commitment to Article 5 and urging European members to enhance their military spending as well.
'There is absolute clarity that the United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article 5,' he said, referring to the cornerstone collective defence principle enshrined in NATO's founding treaty.
Rutte insisted there was no question of Washington, NATO's most powerful member, backing away from the alliance or its underlying principle of mutual defence.
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