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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio volition conscionable NATO counterparts pursuing U.S. threats to propulsion troops and besides wage his archetypal sojourn to India pursuing a chilly spot betwixt the countries, it was announced Tuesday (May 19, 2026).
The State Department confirmed that Mr. Rubio would enactment connected Friday (May 22, 2026) successful talks among NATO Foreign Ministers successful Helsingborg, Sweden, which volition hole for a NATO acme successful Turkey successful July, expected to beryllium attended by President Donald Trump.
The apical U.S. diplomat “will sermon the request for accrued defence concern and greater load sharing successful the Alliance,” a State Department connection said.
Mr. Trump precocious decided to retreat 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany contempt the heightened European concerns implicit Russia since its 2022 penetration of Ukraine.
Mr. Trump has agelong said that the United States has been shouldering an unfair load successful the Cold War-era alliance, but his determination came instantly aft fury astatine German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who made remarks captious of Mr. Trump’s warfare with Israel against Iran.
Mr. Rubio volition conscionable with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the State Department said.
Mr. Rubio volition past caput to India, his archetypal sojourn to the world’s largest ideology since Mr. Trump returned to bureau astir a twelvemonth and a fractional ago.
U.S. Presidents crossed partisan lines person courted India for decades, but Mr. Trump past twelvemonth became upset with India and temporarily imposed punishing tariffs.
The rift came aft Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to recognition Mr. Trump with ending a abbreviated warfare a twelvemonth agone betwixt India and Pakistan.
Pakistan has assertively curried Mr. Trump’s favour, saying helium deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and much precocious volunteering arsenic a mediator successful ending the Iran war.
Vice President J.D. Vance precocious visited Pakistan for the Iran talks, and Mr. Trump past week was upbeat connected a travel to China, antecedently seen arsenic a origin of interest that agreed India and the United States.
Unusually for Mr. Rubio, who usually keeps a accelerated pace, the State Department said helium would sojourn 4 cities successful India.
In summation to New Delhi, helium volition sojourn Agra, tract of the world-famous Taj Mahal, arsenic good arsenic the palace-filled metropolis of Jaipur and the eastbound metropolis of Kolkata.
