US Wants to Reduce Contribution to NATO Alliance

JAKARTA - The United States Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Matthew Whitaker stated that his party was actively looking for ways to reduce the US contribution to the defense alliance.

However, he said the US was not considering leaving NATO.

"We are not going to leave (the alliance), we just (want) to contribute less because we face various needs and challenges globally," he told CNBC as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, Tuesday, July 7.

Whitaker also emphasized that the current dynamics between NATO and the United States is not a crisis, but rather a "process of maturation".

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO member European countries for not making adequate contributions to the alliance's defense capabilities.

Trump also urged allied countries to increase defense budgets by 5 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

NATO is scheduled to hold a summit this year in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7-8.