Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently at NATO headquarters in Brussels for a meeting with the alliance’s foreign ministers, placing him at the forefront of the Trump administration’s efforts against long-standing American allies in Europe. European leaders were anticipating a challenging gathering. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to reduce aid to Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s aggression represented a significant departure from the stance of other allies. Furthermore, his approach of engaging in direct negotiations with Moscow has left European diplomats feeling uneasy.
Just before Rubio’s departure to Belgium, Trump announced new “reciprocal” tariffs, including a 20% tax on imports from the European Union. Rubio has not directly addressed the tariff issue as of yet, but his Canadian counterpart expressed concern about the global economic impact, making it difficult to focus on the meeting’s important agenda. “We have conveyed to our American colleagues that it’s challenging to have NATO discussions amidst a trade war,” said Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly in an interview with CNN.
Rubio has also avoided discussing another controversial topic – Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland for the United States by any means necessary. While meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on the sidelines of the NATO ministerial, Rubio did not respond to questions regarding Greenland. The State Department did not mention Greenland in its summary of the meeting, highlighting the strong relationship between the United States and Denmark, and their shared priorities within NATO.
During their meeting, Rasmussen expressed his strong objection to the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, emphasizing that it is not in line with international law and constitutes an attack on Danish sovereignty. Rubio and Rasmussen’s discussion occurred shortly after Vice President J.D. Vance visited Greenland with his wife and national security adviser, which sparked criticism from Greenland’s interim government and Danish leaders due to the lack of an official invitation.
The situation surrounding Greenland remains a point of contention as Rubio and Rasmussen navigate complex diplomatic discussions.
Senator Rubio is taking a cautious stance on Greenland, stressing the importance of U.S. national security concerns. He emphasized that the issue is not to be taken lightly and is critical to America’s interests. Despite differing signals from President Trump, Rubio affirmed the administration’s support for NATO at a meeting in Brussels. He urged allies to boost defense spending, proposing a 5% of GDP commitment, up from the existing 2% target. The discussions aimed to establish a feasible roadmap for all members, including the U.S., to enhance their contributions to the alliance. Rubio’s diplomatic efforts were put to the test as he engaged with European leaders at the NATO headquarters.
