NATO Secretary General Defends European Alliance Contributions Amid Iran Conflict Tensions]

ANKARA, Turkey — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of European allies for insufficient support in operations against Iran, emphasizing significant military contributions from European bases.

“While we recognize this was disappointing for Americans regarding Iran, we’ve observed up to 5,000 sorties launched from European territories as part of the broader military campaign,” Rutte stated during remarks en route to NATO consultations in the Turkish capital.

Trump had earlier criticized key European partners—including Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France—for declining direct involvement in the conflict. “Italy turned us down, Germany turned us down, and France turned us down… Why are we investing hundreds of billions when they’re not there for us? We’ve always been there for them,” the U.S. president said following his arrival in Ankara.

The U.S. Central Command confirmed Tuesday’s strikes targeted over 80 locations in Iran. Rutte characterized these actions as “absolutely necessary.”

Looking ahead, Rutte underscored that NATO allies would reaffirm their unified stance that Iran must never obtain nuclear weapons—a position aligned with the Trump administration. He additionally identified Russia as the alliance’s primary long-term challenge during the multi-national discussions scheduled for the day.

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