WASHINGTON: The number two US diplomat questioned the need for NATO in a post on X \u2014 which he later deleted \u2014 as the alliance prepares for an annual summit expected to be dominated by a US demand for higher defense spending and Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine.
\nDeputy 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.
\n\u201cHe obviously didn\u2019t get the memo our of our Deputies Committee meeting on this very issue,\u201d Landau wrote at 6:56 p.m. on Wednesday, referring to Whitaker. \u201cNATO is still a solution in search of a problem.\u201d
\nIt was not clear if Landau meant for his message to be public or if he intended to send Whitaker\u2019s post to a third person.
\n\u201cThis was a casual, lighthearted remark intended for a brief, private exchange,\u201d a State Department spokesperson said in emailed comments.
\n\u201cThe Deputy Secretary\u2019s comment was in the context of his desire to improve NATO and ensure it remains focused on its mission,\u201d the spokesperson said.
\nLandau\u2019s 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.
\nThe 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.
\nLandau\u2019s post contrasts with views of most of NATO\u2019s 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.
\nHis 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\u2019s demand that they boost defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.
\nUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the meeting. Since Russia\u2019s 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.
\nTrump has shifted US policy, partially accepting Moscow\u2019s justifications for its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and disparaging Zelensky.
\nEuropean allies have expressed concern about Trump\u2019s commitment to the 32-member alliance and its support for Ukraine\u2019s battle against Russia\u2019s occupation forces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON: The number two US diplomat questioned the need for NATO in a post on X \u2014 which he later deleted \u2014 as the alliance prepares for an annual summit expected to be dominated by a US demand for higher defense spending and Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was replying […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":483978,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-483968","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n