US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed speculation about Washington leaving NATO on Sunday, arguing stronger European defense capabilities would enhance rather than weaken the alliance.
"We're not leaving NATO. We're not leaving ... We may move a couple thousand troops from one country to another, but this has always been the case," Rubio told reporters alongside Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.
He criticized narratives suggesting that asking European allies to contribute more equates to American abandonment of the alliance.
"Every time we say this, people go crazy. They think that means you're going to abandon NATO, you're going to abandon your allies," Rubio said, clarifying: "The point we're making is that the stronger our allies are, the stronger we are collectively."
He emphasized Washington does not view increased European military capability as threatening to US influence but rather as a necessary partnership evolution.
"We are not threatened or feel that it's hostile to see NATO grow in its own capabilities, not independent of the United States, in conjunction with the United States," he said.
He rejected the notion that Europe should remain dependent on American protection, saying: "We're not asking Europe to be a vassal of the United States. We want to be your partner."
"We don't think it's a negative thing that other countries have more influence in NATO," Rubio added.
He also emphasized the Trump administration's focus on Central Europe. "We are going to show in the weeks and months and years to come that under President (Donald) Trump, this administration is going to make not just Slovakia but Central Europe a key component of how we engage the continent and the world," he said.
"When the national interest of the United States, for example, and the national interest of Slovakia are aligned, this is an extraordinary opportunity for cooperation," he said, noting the US is "very happy" with Slovakia's selection of the F-16 program to strengthen its air force. "We hope you'll consider some others as well ... that we can work together on."
