STOCKHOLM, 21 May. - (ANA) - Foreign ministers from Nato's 32 member countries are gathering this week in Sweden, where the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz could take up as much attention as European countries' push for new support for Ukraine.

 

The meeting in the southern city of Helsingborg comes at a moment of historic tension in the defence alliance, after repeated attacks by US President Donald Trump and plans to cut American troop numbers in Germany and possibly Poland.

 

The two-day meeting, which begins on Thursday, is supposed to focus on Nato's political and military support for Ukraine, and the ever-thorny issue of defence spending.

 

Countries will be keen to show US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that they are increasing financial commitments fast enough to assuage Mr Trump, who has long accused Nato of not spending enough while Washington picks up the tab. Mr Rubio “will discuss the need for increased defence investment and greater burden-sharing in the alliance", State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

 

But an inevitable theme will also be the situation in the Middle East.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/21 May 2026 - - -