WASHINGTON: The number two US diplomat questioned the need for NATO in a post on X — which he later deleted — as the alliance prepares for an annual summit expected to be dominated by a US demand for higher defense spending and Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was replying to a social media thread by Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to NATO. Whitaker in his post said that what happened in the Indo-Pacific mattered for transatlantic security.
“He obviously didn’t get the memo our of our Deputies Committee meeting on this very issue,” Landau wrote at 6:56 p.m. on Wednesday, referring to Whitaker. “NATO is still a solution in search of a problem.”
It was not clear if Landau meant for his message to be public or if he intended to send Whitaker’s post to a third person.
“This was a casual, lighthearted remark intended for a brief, private exchange,” a State Department spokesperson said in emailed comments.
“The Deputy Secretary’s comment was in the context of his desire to improve NATO and ensure it remains focused on its mission,” the spokesperson said.
Landau’s post was later deleted. The Deputies Committee is subordinate to the National Security Council and composed of deputy secretaries of State, Defense and other agencies, according to the White House website.
The administration of former President Joe Biden had pushed the European allies to pay more attention to the threats in the Indo-Pacific, particularly from China, but the Trump administration has encouraged those allies to focus on their own security.
Landau’s post contrasts with views of most of NATO’s European members, who see Russia and its war on Ukraine as an existential threat, and the US-led alliance as their main means of defense.
His post came as NATO leaders prepare for a two-day summit in the Hague beginning on June 24, where they will consider US President Donald Trump’s demand that they boost defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the meeting. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, he regularly has attended NATO summits, and alliance members have pledged billions in weapons and condemned Russia for an illegal war of conquest.
Trump has shifted US policy, partially accepting Moscow’s justifications for its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and disparaging Zelensky.
European allies have expressed concern about Trump’s commitment to the 32-member alliance and its support for Ukraine’s battle against Russia’s occupation forces.
No. 2 US diplomat questions need for NATO in deleted social media post
https://arab.news/rk3cg
No. 2 US diplomat questions need for NATO in deleted social media post
- “NATO is still a solution in search of a problem,” Christopher Landau wrote in a social media thread
- He was replying to a query by Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to NATO
Kosovo, Serbia ‘need to normalize’ relations
- Kosovo, which hopes to join NATO, has also been cultivating relations with Washington in recent months, by removing tariffs on American products
PRISTINA: Kosovo and Serbia need to “normalize” their relations, Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti said, several days before legislative elections where he is seeking to extend his term with more solid backing.
Kurti has been in office since 2021 and previous accords signed with Serbia — which does not recognize the independence of its former province — have yet to be respected.
“We need to normalize relations with Serbia,” said Kurti. “But normalizing relations with a neighboring authoritarian regime that doesn’t recognize you, that also doesn’t admit to the crimes committed during the war, is quite difficult,” he added.
Tensions between the two neighbors are regularly high.
“We do have a normalization agreement,” Kurti said, referring to the agreement signed under the auspices of the EU in 2023.
“We must implement it, which implies mutual recognition between the countries, at least de facto recognition.”
But to resume dialogue, Serbia “must hand over Milan Radoicic,” a Serb accused of plotting an attack in northern Kosovo in 2023, Kurti asserted, hoping that “the EU, France, and Germany will put pressure” on Belgrade to do so.
Kosovo, which hopes to join NATO, has also been cultivating relations with Washington in recent months, by removing tariffs on American products and agreeing to accept up to 50 migrants from third countries extradited by the US. So far, only one has arrived.
“We are not asking for any financial assistance in return,” Kurti emphasized. “We are doing this to help the US, which is a partner, an ally, a friend,” added the prime minister, who did not rule out making similar agreements with European countries.
Unable to secure enough seats in the February 2025 parliamentary elections, Kurti was forced to call early elections on Sunday, after 10 months of political deadlock during which the divided parliament failed to form a coalition.
“We need a decisive victory. In February, we won 42.3 percent, and this time we want to exceed 50 percent,” he said.
