U.S. officials have told European allies they want them to keep buying American-made arms, amid recent moves by the European Union to limit U.S. manufacturers’ participation in weapons tenders, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The messages delivered by Washington in recent weeks come as the EU takes steps to boost Europe’s weapons industry, while potentially limiting purchases of certain types of U.S. arms.
In a March 25 meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia that the United States wants to continue participating in EU countries’ defense procurements, the sources told Reuters.
According to two of the sources, Rubio said any exclusion of U.S. companies from European tenders would be seen negatively by Washington, which those two sources interpreted as a reference to the proposed EU rules.
One northern European diplomat, who was not part of the Baltic meeting, said they had also been recently told by U.S. officials that any exclusion from EU weapons procurements would be seen as inappropriate.
Rubio plans to discuss expectations that EU countries keep buying U.S. weapons during his visit to Brussels this week, where he will attend the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, said a senior State Department official. “It’s a point the secretary has raised and will continue to raise,” the official said.
A State Department spokesperson said Trump welcomes recent efforts from European allies to “strengthen their defense capabilities and take responsibility for their own security,” but warned against creating new barriers that exclude U.S. companies from European defense projects.
“Transatlantic defense industrial cooperation makes the Alliance stronger,” the spokesperson said.
TF_dia on
“European countries should stop being freeloaders and depend less in the US.”
“Wait, not like that.”
bleachinjection on
Brought to you by the same people who say simply choosing to not buy a Tesla *is illegal.*
Very capitalist. Very cool.
OrbitalAlpaca on
I object!
On what grounds?
It’s damaging to my shareholders!
BelmontIncident on
Okay, then stop trying to screw over our existing allies, you word I can’t say because it’s a civility violation. Trust is a valuable thing and shouldn’t be used as toilet paper.
mostanonymousnick on
This is why I’ve always been extremely skeptical of Americans calling for Europeans to increase their defense spending. “Spend more money, but don’t become more strategically independent”
Arlort on
Yeah? That’s what they’ve been doing for decades, would be weird if they stopped with Trump in the white house
7 Comments
U.S. officials have told European allies they want them to keep buying American-made arms, amid recent moves by the European Union to limit U.S. manufacturers’ participation in weapons tenders, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The messages delivered by Washington in recent weeks come as the EU takes steps to boost Europe’s weapons industry, while potentially limiting purchases of certain types of U.S. arms.
In a March 25 meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia that the United States wants to continue participating in EU countries’ defense procurements, the sources told Reuters.
According to two of the sources, Rubio said any exclusion of U.S. companies from European tenders would be seen negatively by Washington, which those two sources interpreted as a reference to the proposed EU rules.
One northern European diplomat, who was not part of the Baltic meeting, said they had also been recently told by U.S. officials that any exclusion from EU weapons procurements would be seen as inappropriate.
Rubio plans to discuss expectations that EU countries keep buying U.S. weapons during his visit to Brussels this week, where he will attend the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, said a senior State Department official. “It’s a point the secretary has raised and will continue to raise,” the official said.
A State Department spokesperson said Trump welcomes recent efforts from European allies to “strengthen their defense capabilities and take responsibility for their own security,” but warned against creating new barriers that exclude U.S. companies from European defense projects.
“Transatlantic defense industrial cooperation makes the Alliance stronger,” the spokesperson said.
“European countries should stop being freeloaders and depend less in the US.”
“Wait, not like that.”
Brought to you by the same people who say simply choosing to not buy a Tesla *is illegal.*
Very capitalist. Very cool.
I object!
On what grounds?
It’s damaging to my shareholders!
Okay, then stop trying to screw over our existing allies, you word I can’t say because it’s a civility violation. Trust is a valuable thing and shouldn’t be used as toilet paper.
This is why I’ve always been extremely skeptical of Americans calling for Europeans to increase their defense spending. “Spend more money, but don’t become more strategically independent”
Yeah? That’s what they’ve been doing for decades, would be weird if they stopped with Trump in the white house