MUNICH, southern Germany, Feb 17 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Friday underlined fortitude of relations with Europe and significance of NATO in facing world crises.
Confronting security challenges could only be achieved in sustaining cooperation among Alliance members, Mattis said in a speech before the Munich Security Conference.
He voiced confidence that both parties were able to hold up this partnership in defense of the values of freedom and democracy, adding that best mans for this to be achieved is the improvement of US-European relations.
Mattis's statements came on the backdrop of his Wednesday's remarks, in which he asked NATO members to shoulder more burden and spike up their financial spending in the Alliance.
US President Donald Trump has criticized the NATO defense alliance, suggesting he could withdraw support if European countries did not raise defense spending to at least two percent of their economic output. (end) anj.hb