NATO chief: The new U.S. administration agrees on the need for dialogue with Russia from a position of strength
The new U.S. administration agrees with the common position of NATO about the need for dialogue with Russia from a position of strength.
This was stated by the NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, at a press conference in Brussels.
According to Stoltenberg, in a telephone conversation with the U.S. President, Donald Trump, and the Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, it was clearly conveyed that the United States remain committed to NATO and transatlantic relations.
"We do not want confrontation, we do not want a new Cold War, that's why we keep the channels for political dialogue with Russia open. The message of the new U.S. administration lies in the fact that they also want the dialogue with Russia, but from a position of strength, and I think that this is exactly the same message that we pass on from all of the Alliance and on which we have agreed at the summit in Warsaw that we need a strong defense, but also a political dialogue with the Russian Federation," Stoltenberg said.
He noted that Washington has reaffirmed its commitment to the NATO treaty, increasing the American military presence in Europe.
Donald Trump though, during his election campaign, was critical of NATO, and, in particular, saying that many European allies do not pay their share.
In addition, Trump called NATO an outdated organization that does not properly address the issue of terrorism.