A look-alike of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gestures, carrying an inflatable rocket toy, near the building holding the NATO summit on Wednesday — AFP THE HAGUE, June 25 (AFP): NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that the United States was "totally committed" to the alliance's mutual defence clause, after President Donald Trump appeared to cast doubt on it.
"For me, there is absolute clarity that the United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article Five," Rutte told reporters ahead of a summit meeting of alliance leaders.
On his way to the summit, Trump refused to commit to NATO's Article Five clause, the basic agreement that says an attack on one member is an attack on all.
"Depends on your definition. There's numerous definitions of Article Five," Trump told journalists in comments sure to rattle America's European allies.
"I'm committed to being their friend," he said.
Britain will reintroduce fighter jets capable of carrying atomic weapons to support NATO's nuclear mission, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said, as he prepares for a Nato summit Wednesday.
The country will purchase 12 nuclear weapon-capable F-35A fighters, expanding the country's deterrence arsenal, which is currently limited to submarine-launched missiles.
"These F35 dual capable aircraft will herald a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force and deter hostile threats that threaten the UK and our Allies," Starmer said in a statement on Tuesday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was quoted in the statement as saying: "I strongly welcome today's announcement," calling it "yet another robust British contribution to NATO".
Downing Street described it as the "biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation", adding that Starmer would announce the plan at summit on Wednesday.
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