US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday met with Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard in Washington, DC for talks.
The two “discussed a variety of issues, including the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, the situation in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the importance of secure supply chains,” the State Department stated.
Rubio expressed appreciation for Sweden’s assist for NATO allies committing to spend 5% of GDP on protection and important contributions to European and transatlantic safety, it added.
Sweden joined NATO final yr, after making use of following the beginning of the Ukraine warfare.
US President Donald Trump has lengthy complained that different members have “ripped off” the US and referred to as for NATO allies to step up their protection expenditures to five%.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated final month that he assumes members will conform to a broad protection spending goal of 5% of GDP throughout a summit in The Hague subsequent week.
Source: www.anews.com.tr