Hutchison’s statement comes at a time when the President-elect’s team complains about delays and a lack of collaboration in the transition of powers in the White House and when the incumbent President still does not admit defeat in the presidential elections of this month, alleging the existence of “electoral fraud”.
“I believe there will be a smooth transition in support of our transatlantic link with NATO and the United States. There will be no difference. There will be a commitment to the transatlantic link, ”said the ambassador, during a press conference ahead of the Alliance’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The ambassador, who between 1993 and 2013 was a Republican senator for the state of Texas, acknowledged that Biden is “certainly a supporter of NATO”, as well as of multilateral organizations.
“We like to have allies. He likes to have allies, ”commented Hutchinson, noting that his government is“ very committed ”to NATO, saying he believes there will be no change in that commitment, with the elected Democratic President.
Hutchison’s statement shocks the fact that, during his tenure, Trump has repeatedly questioned the United States’ commitment to the North Atlantic organization.
The ambassador added that Biden’s first trip to Europe will be to meet NATO officials, “because it is very supportive of the transatlantic link and also because that is the tradition that US presidents have followed”.
Today, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed the invitation to Biden to attend a summit of Allied leaders in Brussels early next year.
Hutchison admitted that the United States is “concerned” about Turkey’s behavior, in particular with the purchase of the Russian S400 anti-aircraft defense system, criticized by NATO, of which the Turks are members, as it makes interoperability with the Armed Forces difficult. Alliance.
“The idea of putting a Russian-made anti-missile defense system in the middle of our Alliance breaks the balance,” acknowledged the American ambassador, adding that she hopes that Turkey “reverses the decision it has taken”.
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