Le président américain Donald Trump will participate in the NATO summit of heads of state and government scheduled for July in Turkey, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed to Congress on Wednesday.
This announcement was particularly anticipated in allied capitals. In recent months, Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the Atlantic Alliance, accusing several member countries of insufficient support for the United States in the context of the conflict with Iran.
According to Marco Rubio, one of the main frustrations of the American president concerns the refusal of some allies to allow the use of their military bases or airspace by American forces during operations in the Gulf. Several NATO members have also reportedly refused to participate in efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz and protect international oil traffic.
Despite these differences, Washington intends to maintain its commitment to the alliance. "The United States remains a member of NATO and will be present in Turkey to discuss all these issues," Rubio said, adding that the summit will help clarify American expectations of its partners.
Trump's statements had fueled concerns among many European allies. The US president had recently called NATO a "paper tiger" and repeatedly raised the possibility of an American withdrawal from the organization, arguing that European countries benefited from US military protection without contributing sufficiently to joint efforts.
The July summit is therefore shaping up to be particularly important for the future of the transatlantic alliance. The leaders of the 32 member countries are expected to address European security issues, the consequences of conflicts in the Middle East, and the sharing of military responsibilities among allies.
Donald Trump's presence is seen as a sign of continuity, even though disagreements between Washington and several European capitals are expected to remain at the heart of discussions.
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