No. 2 US diplomat questions need for Nato in deleted social media post
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US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was replying to a social media thread by the US ambassador to Nato when he questioned the need for Nato.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON – The No. 2 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 defence spending and Russia’s war on Ukraine.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was replying to a social media thread by Mr Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to Nato. Mr Whitaker in his post said that what happened in the Indo-Pacific mattered for transatlantic security.
“He obviously didn’t get the memo our (sic) of our Deputies Committee meeting on this very issue,” Mr Landau wrote at 6.56pm on June 11, referring to Mr Whitaker. “Nato still a solution in search of a problem.”
It was not clear if Mr Landau meant for his message to be public or if he intended to send Mr Whitaker’s post to a third person.
“This was a casual, lighthearted remark intended for a brief, private exchange,” a US State Department spokesperson said in e-mailed 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.
Mr Landau’s post was later deleted. The Deputies Committee is subordinate to the National Security Council and composed of deputy secretaries of State, Defence and other agencies, according to the White House website.
The administration of former US 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.
Mr Landau’s post contrasts with the 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 defence.
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 defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the meeting. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, he has regularly attended Nato summits, and alliance members have pledged billions in weapons and condemned Russia for an illegal war of conquest.
Mr Trump has shifted US policy, partially accepting Moscow’s justifications for its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and disparaging Mr Zelensky.
European allies have expressed concern about Mr Trump’s commitment to the 32-member alliance and its support for Ukraine’s battle against Russia’s occupation forces. REUTERS
