HAGUE – US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Monday that the alliance’s leaders’ summit in The Hague this week aims to enhance NATO’s credibility and address threats from Russia and emerging cyber and space threats.
Speaking to reporters during a press call ahead of this week’s NATO’s Summit in The Hague, Whitaker said it is “undeniable” that the reason NATO is so focused on increasing defense investment to 5% is “because of Russia, and the long term threat Russia poses” to its security, Kyiv Post’s Washington correspondent reports.
Whitaker emphasized the importance of allies meeting the 5% defense spending target and highlighted the US’s role in innovation and the need for multinational cooperation.The summit, which officially starts tomorrow, will also focus on practical and immediate actions, as Whitaker put it.
The US will track allies’ progress through regular reports and stress the urgency of defense spending increases, the ambassador said.Washington will also work with allies to finalize the language in the NATO summit communique on identifying Russia as the main threat.
Asked whether US President Donald Trump would commit to synchronizing any future American troop drawdowns in Europe with increased European defense capabilities, Whitaker said that the Pentagon’s review will be completed late summer or early fall.
“We will work closely with the Pentagon and with our allies to address the impact of any decisions,” he added.
He also highlighted Washington’s intention to engage with Indo-Pacific partners during the NATO summit to ensure they are also on a trajectory to dramatically increase their defense spending, similar to the NATO allies.Whitaker also spoke about the latest Russian attacks on Ukraine.
“I want to join a lot of voices, both from the United States and worldwide, condemning Russia’s strikes on civilians and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected, including an American who was recently killed in a Russian strike on Kyiv,” he said.
He went on to add that Trump supports any diplomatic mechanism that leads to a durable and lasting peace, as Washington believes that there’s no military solution to the Russo-Ukrainian War, and a diplomatic solution is necessary.
“President Trump has stated that he is very disappointed at people being killed in the middle of negotiations. We are calling for restraint and urge both parties to avoid escalation,” he emphasized.
Whitaker concluded: “We are engaged at the highest levels and continue to support direct talks between Russia and Ukraine – constructive, good faith dialog is the only path to ending this war. Like President Trump said to President Putin, we expect both Russia and Ukraine to come to the table with clear terms and a willingness to compromise.”