US President Donald Trump is considering pulling the US out of the NATO defense alliance.
He said this in an interview with the British media outlet The Telegraph on Wednesday.
When asked whether he would reconsider the US's membership after the war in Iran, he replied that it was "beyond reconsideration".
- I have never been convinced of NATO (swayed by NATO). I have always known that it was a paper tiger, and Putin knows it too, he told the media outlet.
A paper tiger is an institution or a person that on the outside seems very scary, but in reality is not that dangerous.
After Trump's statements, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called NATO "the most effective military alliance the world has ever seen".
- NATO has provided us with security for many decades, and we are fully committed to NATO, Starmer said at a press conference on Wednesday, according to the AFP news agency.
Trump's message comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stressed that the US needs to reassess its relationship with the defense alliance once the war in Iran is over.
He also said this in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday.
- In my opinion, unfortunately, there is no doubt that after the conflict, we need to reassess the relationship, Rubio said.
The US and Israel have been at war with Iran since February 28.
Since then, Trump has repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the reluctance of European NATO countries to provide military support to the United States.
This includes sending military personnel to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial sea route for the export of oil and natural gas.
Shipping through the strait has largely ground to a halt in recent weeks, sending energy prices soaring.
A number of European countries - including Britain, France, Germany and Denmark - have said they will contribute to the effort to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the countries have not yet made any concrete commitments.
/ritzau/
