US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that all NATO members will agree on a goal of each country allocating five percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) to defense over the next decade by the June Summit.
NATO has 32 member states, including Montenegro.
Rubio told Fox News that at the upcoming Summit, which will be held in six weeks, almost all members of the Alliance will be at or above the target of two percent of GDP for defense, and many will exceed four percent.
The most important news, according to him, will be reaching a common agreement on a long-term target of five percent by 2035, Reuters reported.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful said this week that Germany supports US President Donald Trump's demand that NATO members increase defense spending to five percent of GDP.
Rubio said the only way to make progress in efforts to end the war in Ukraine is through direct talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"I think it's quite clear that the only way we can achieve a breakthrough is for President Trump and President Putin to communicate directly on this issue," Rubio said, according to Reuters.
He says that talks are currently "at a standstill" and that Trump is the "only person" who can change that.
He added that he doesn't think "anything productive will happen from now on" until the American and Russian leaders start "a very frank and direct conversation."
Rubio said the officials sent by Russia to the talks in Istanbul were "not at a level" that indicated progress, but he said Trump was "ready" to have this conversation and was "eager" to end the war.
When asked if any efforts were underway for Trump and Putin to meet, Rubio said Trump would make a decision once his Middle East trip was over.
Rubio told reporters in Antalya, where he was speaking with NATO colleagues, that he would meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and a Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul today, but expressed skepticism about the talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Rubio meets with Rutte: I hope the war in Ukraine will end soon through diplomacy
Marco Rubio stated today, before meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, that the goal is to advance negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and that the conflict will not be ended militarily, but diplomatically.
"This war will not end with a military solution, but with a diplomatic solution, and the sooner an agreement is reached to end this war, the fewer people will die and the less destruction there will be. And ultimately, that is the goal of the President (Donald Trump)," Rubio said, adding that he hopes for a solution soon.
He emphasized that Trump wants the conflicting parties to focus on the economy, reconstruction, and construction, according to the State Department website.
"(Trump) has been very clear that he wants the war to end. He is open to virtually any mechanism that brings us to a just, lasting and long-lasting peace, and that is what he wants to see. He wants to see the end of wars, he wants to prevent wars from happening. The purpose of NATO is to prevent wars with its strength and that is why we want to see it strengthen, spending levels among all partners that allow everyone to be stronger," Rubio said.
He added that Trump has established cooperation with the new Syrian authorities to prevent further conflicts, Tanjug reports.
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