Rubio criticizes Romania, Bulgaria, and Spain over NATO conduct

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticized a number of NATO member states, questioning the effectiveness of their participation in the alliance and whether their conduct meets Washington’s expectations.

Rubio paid particular attention to specific European countries — Romania, Bulgaria, and Spain. In his assessment, the positions of these alliance partners proved insufficiently convincing.

The secretary of state’s criticism fits into a broader skepticism among American leadership toward the alliance. US President Donald Trump previously stated that his country does not feel a need for NATO, and described the alliance’s conduct during American military operations against Iran as disappointing.