Ex-NATO official: Concerning that Tillerson is skipping meeting

The former No. 2 official at NATO said Tuesday that it was concerning that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to skip the first NATO foreign ministers’ meeting since he took office.

“I think there is some concern about that,” Alexander Vershbow, former deputy secretary-general of NATO, told the Senate Armed Services Committee when asked if NATO members are concerned about Tillerson’s decision.

“I would say as a NATO veteran, a NATO junkie, that the presence of a U.S. secretary of State, particularly his first opportunity to join his counterparts, at a ministerial is something that shouldn’t be passed up, especially when we face so many challenges.”

{mosads}NATO is scheduled to hold a meeting of foreign ministers April 5-6, the first such meeting since Tillerson was confirmed as secretary of State.

Reuters first reported late Monday that Tillerson will skip the meeting because Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting the United States April 6-7.

The decision to skip the NATO meeting raised eyebrows as it was also reported that Tillerson will travel to Russia later in April.

President Trump has come under scrutiny for his overtures on improving relations with Russia. Trump has also repeatedly blasted NATO as “obsolete” and questioned whether he would come to the defense of allies if they didn’t pay more for their defense.

The State Department has highlighted that Tillerson will have an opportunity to meet with 26 of 27 foreign ministers from NATO on Wednesday during the counter-Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) coalition meeting at the department. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will also be in attendance at the counter-ISIS meeting.

Vershbow, who ended his tenure at NATO in October, said it’s vital to talk with allies before talking with Russia and expressed hope the counter-ISIS meeting will provide that opportunity in the absence of attending the ministerial next month. 

“The more basic question is consulting first with your allies before you engage with the Russians,” Vershbow said, “so hopefully there will be other ways that he can do that.”