The United States refuses to allocate additional funds for the strengthening of European defense if the allies in the North Atlantic bloc fail to fulfill their obligations to increase defense spending. This was stated by the new US Ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, in an article published in the New York Times.

According to her, during her appointment as ambassador to the alliance, she was convinced that Republicans and Democrats had full agreement on the future of NATO.

"There is no significant difference in the views of the President (Donald Trump), Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and senators from both parties on the need to give NATO new energy so that it can meet today's security needs while maintaining the fundamental principle of Article 5 of the Treaty establishing Organization - an attack on one is an attack on everyone, "- wrote Hutchison.

In her opinion, "the revival of NATO is the best hope for the unification of Western allies" against threats, including "Russian aggression in Ukraine," international terrorism, nuclear and missile programs of "rogue states" and the infringement of religious and individual freedoms around the world.

Meanwhile, she believes, the allies should increase defense spending, as it is necessary to ensure their security and collective defense of the entire military bloc. Hutchinson recalled that NATO member states led by the Secretary General of the alliance Jens Stoltenberg agreed this June to prepare individual plans to increase the share of defense spending to 2% of GDP.

"As for America, President Trump proposed spending about $ 4.8 billion on the European deterrence initiative, seeking to strengthen security on the eastern frontier of NATO and demonstrate our readiness to protect our allies. But I know very well from my experience of working in the Senate that this can not continue unless other NATO members fulfill their obligations, "the US Permanent Representative stressed..

Recall, at the summit in Brussels in May 2017. The NATO allies pledged to draw up annual national plans to increase their defense deposits, meeting the requirements of the new US administration and the decisions taken at the leaders meeting in Wales in 2014. In them, the member states will prescribe how they plan to raise defense spending to 2% of GDP, invest in key capacities and participate in NATO operations. The first reports on the implementation of these plans should appear in December, and in February 2018. Documents will be studied by the defense ministers of the member countries of the alliance.