‘We’re going to have to re-evaluate that relationship’: Rubio slams NATO, says ties can’t be ‘one-way street’ –

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday (US local time) that Washington may need to “reevaluate” its relationship with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after the end of the war on Iran.“I think there’s no question that, unfortunately, once this conflict is over, we’re going to have to take a fresh look at that relationship. We’re going to need to reconsider what NATO brings to our country within this alliance,” he told Fox News, adding that the final decision will ultimately be in the hands of President Donald Trump.

The top diplomat in Washington described himself as “one of NATO’s strongest advocates” while in the US Senate because he “found great value in it.”He added: “If we now reach a point where NATO means that we can no longer use those bases, and that in fact we can no longer use those bases to defend American interests, then NATO is a one-way street.”Rubio went further, saying that while Washington has not asked its allies in the global military coalition to launch airstrikes as part of the war against Iran, “when we need them to let us use their military bases, their answer is ‘No?’ So why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question.”Rubio’s comments come as Trump repeatedly criticized NATO allies for not supporting U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed in response to Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes across the Islamic Republic that sparked the broader conflict in the Middle East. The Strait is a vital global corridor, carrying approximately 20% of the world’s crude oil supplies.Amid the tensions, Spain prevented American aircraft participating in the Iranian conflict from entering its airspace, while Italy refused to allow American bombers heading to the Middle East to land at its air bases.The UK also initially refused to allow the US to use an RAF base before later reversing its decision.