According to an Associated Press report on October 8, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the U.S.’s pressure on NATO allies to increase defense spending was not 'hostile behavior'. However, he reiterated that the Trump administration hopes this military alliance will become a stronger deterrent against threats.
During his visit to Portugal, a NATO ally in Europe, Rubio told reporters: "The stronger the NATO member countries, the stronger NATO becomes, and the stronger the alliance, the greater its deterrence."
United States President Donald Trump has long criticized NATO allies for having too low a proportion of defense spending relative to their gross domestic product, stating that this places the United States under an "unfair burden." Among the 32 countries that make up this alliance, some member states have been reluctant to divert funds from other government policies.
Ru Biao said: “People sometimes view this call for increased military spending as hostile action, but that is not the case in reality.”
Rubio's visit to Portugal is the last stop in his tour of NATO allies. He admitted that some smaller NATO members, such as Portugal, have difficulty raising funds for major military projects.
"Every country's scale and proportion are different. Some countries can contribute more than others, but each country in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization needs to be as strong as possible," Rubio said at a press conference in Lisbon.
He claims that the situation regarding Russia and Ukraine seems to be at a deadlock, which could lead to an escalation of military tensions in Europe.
Rubio stated: "This escalation could potentially lead to destructive activities against NATO member states' neighbors, and could quickly transform the conflict between the two countries into a broader and more dangerous regional conflict."
Rubio also said that the Trump administration will continue to strive to resolve the war through negotiations, but this has always been difficult. “We have tried, and we will continue to try; but if we cannot make progress, we will not push ahead with a meaningless process.”
Meanwhile, Lu Bió also praised Portugal for its efforts in achieving the NATO defense budget target.
According to NATO, Portugal, a country with a population of less than 11 million, has defense spending that accounts for 2% of its gross domestic product. The Portuguese government also stated that it plans to increase defense spending to about 3%, including investments in dual-use civilian infrastructure. Although this is still below the Trump's requirement of 5% of GDP for defense spending, it already requires investment on a scale not seen in Europe before.
Portugal's Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said at a press conference that Portugal regards its relations with the United States as "crucial".
Before arriving in Lisbon, Rubio said: "Portugal is a great ally and a country that cooperates closely with the United States. We have a strong and growing relationship with this nation. Our visits to these countries are aimed at strengthening these ties, and that is the purpose of this trip."
