Trump to host NATO chief at White House next week
U.S. President Donald Trump will discuss burden-sharing and security issues with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg next week in Washington D.C., the White House said in a statement on Saturday.
The U.S. president is scheduled to receive the NATO chief at the White House on Nov. 14, when the two will discuss the NATO allies' progress on increasing defense spending and ensuring "more equitable burden-sharing," the statement said.
Trump will also stress the importance of strengthening the alliance's defense and deterrence against various threats, including terrorism and cyber-attacks, according to the statement.
Trump is expected to visit London early December to attend the NATO Leaders' Meeting to commemorate the alliance's 70th anniversary, while the unity of the alliance has been widely questioned.
The Trump administration has repeatedly complained about NATO allies' free-riding on the U.S. military. Besides, there are disagreements within the alliance over the Iran nuclear issue, Turkey's operations in northern Syria as well as abrupt U.S. decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a recent interview that the alliance was experiencing "brain death" because of a lack of strategic coordination and leadership from the United States.
