US Will Remain in NATO, Stronger European Defence Will Boost Alliance — Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has dismissed speculation that Washington is preparing to leave NATO, insisting that stronger European defence capabilities would make the alliance more powerful, not weaker.

Speaking to reporters in Bratislava alongside Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Rubio said the United States remains fully committed to the alliance.

“We’re not leaving NATO. We’re not leaving,” he said, adding that troop movements between allied countries were routine and should not be misinterpreted as withdrawal. “We may move a couple thousand troops from one country to another, but this has always been the case.”

Rubio criticised narratives suggesting that calls for European allies to contribute more to their own defence amount to American abandonment of NATO. He stressed that a stronger Europe would only strengthen the alliance as a whole.

“The stronger our allies are, the stronger we are collectively,” he said, noting that Washington does not see increased European military capability as a threat to US influence. Instead, he described it as a natural and necessary evolution of partnership.

“We are not threatened or feel that it’s hostile to see NATO grow in its own capabilities — not independent of the United States, but in conjunction with the United States,” Rubio added.

He also rejected the idea that Europe should remain dependent on American protection, describing the relationship as a partnership rather than a hierarchy. “We’re not asking Europe to be a vassal of the United States. We want to be your partner,” he said.

Rubio further highlighted the administration’s focus on Central Europe, saying that under Donald Trump, the region would play a key role in US engagement with Europe and the wider world.

He pointed to growing cooperation with Slovakia, welcoming its decision to strengthen its air force through the F-16 programme and expressing hope for broader defence and security collaboration in the future.