US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with EU and NATO leaders in Brussels on Tuesday. He reassured his 28 EU counterparts that the US remains committed to a strong partnership.

"The partnership between America and the European Union ... is based upon shared values, shared objectives for security and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and we remain committed to that,” he said at a meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

This reaffirmation of US-EU ties comes at a time when many EU member states are concerned that US President Donald Trump's stark anti-NATO stance has undermined the transatlantic alliance.

Tillerson held talks with the EU's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini

'Strongest when allies'

Tillerson called on his EU and NATO partners to ramp up their defense budgets.

"Our security is strongest when allies and partners shoulder their fair share of the burden," he said. "That's why we continue to call on others to increase their defense spending: It is towards a shared objective and serves everyone well."

In 2014, NATO member states agreed to stop defense budget cuts and pursue a target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense within 10 years. So far only five NATO nations have hit the mark, including Estonia, Greece, UK, Poland and the US.

Read more: German Foreign Minister Gabriel questions NATO's defense spending target

Germany currently spends 1.2 percent of GDP on defense. German officials have expressed concern over the White House's demands, saying other factors should also be considered in the scope of the target.

Watch video 04:52 Share EU „better working together“ Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2opCv EU is 'better working together' on security

Controversial Issues: From Iran to Korea

In addition to defense spending, Tillerson discussed various topics including the Iran nuclear deal, the Middle East peace process and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Tillerson lambasted Iran for its "destabilizing effect" in the Middle East, saying the US will continue to "take action" against the Islamic Republic. He asked for support from European partners in the matter.

President Trump officially "decertified" the nuclear deal with Iran in October, calling it "one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into."

European leaders were dismayed by President Trump's withdrawal from the agreement, which they consider an integral step towards preventing a Middle East arms race.

Read more: What is the Iran nuclear deal?

Days before Tillerson's European arrival in Brussels, a senior US State Department official underlined the main intent of the diplomatic tour, saying it aimed to "to reinforce President Trump's central message of shared responsibility in Europe and the global agenda that we're jointly managing with the EU, NATO, and European partners that includes DPRK, Syria, and issues related to Russia."

In addition to Brussels, Tillerson will be traveling to Vienna, to meet with OSCE officials, and Paris, to meet with senior French leaders to discuss issues in the Middle East and other areas of mutual concern.

What is the EU defense union PESCO? Union within a union With 25 of the EU's current 28 member states joining the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), there seems to be a great deal of consensus among member states but a few remain on the fence. The new defense union is expected to address immediate threats without having to rely on NATO for all of the EU's defense needs.

What is the EU defense union PESCO? High expectations European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had been campaining for PESCO for several years. He expects the new military pact to deliver a "European Security and Defence Union (which) will help protect our Union, which is exactly what EU citizens expect."

What is the EU defense union PESCO? A 'new era' for European security EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Chief Federica Mogherini welcomed the establishment of PESCO as the dawn of a "new era." Mogherini further described the initiative as "an inclusive framework to facilitate the joint investments and projects that we so much need to strengthen the ability of the European Union to be a credible security provider for its citizens and globally."

What is the EU defense union PESCO? Franco-German foundations French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen are among the chief supporters of the PESCO defense union. Von der Leyen stressed that with the United States taking a critical stance on NATO, launching Europe's very own defense initiative was "important - especially after the election of the US President," referring to Presiden Donald Trump.

What is the EU defense union PESCO? A new direction NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (pictured left) welcomed the launch of PESCO in the face of those fears over US President Donald Trump's commitment to the transatlantic defense alliance. Stoltenberg said that PESCO will "strengthen the European pillar within NATO" adding that it will be "good for NATO" as well.

What is the EU defense union PESCO? Left outside The majority of EU states signed up to PESCO. Malta still mulling over it, Denmark has opted out for the time being, and the UK is expected to reject the proposal, as it is set to leave the EU by 2019. Prime Minister Theresa May is free to join PESCO at a later date however - even after Brexit - if the terms of that cooperation would benefit the entire EU.

What is the EU defense union PESCO? EU soldiers? It is unclear to what extent there will be concrete military cooperation between EU states, as is the case with the EUFOR peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The signing of PESCO initially provides only the framework for expanded collaboration and more efficient spending of military funds. Author: Sertan Sanderson



ejw/ls (Reuters, dpa, AP, AFP)