NATO meeting in Sweden: Rubio to press defence spending amid Europe troop level concerns

AP Secretary of State Marco Rubio was due to travel to Sweden this week for a NATO foreign ministers meeting. The visit came as allies watched US plans to cut troop levels in Europe. Some governments also weighed President Donald Trumps shifting messages on NATO. The talks took place as the Iran war fallout and higher energy prices affected many countries.

Representative image

The State Department said on Tuesday that Rubio would attend the meeting in Helsingborg on Friday. Officials described it as one of the last senior NATO gatherings before a leaders summit. NATO leaders were expected to meet in Ankara, Turkey, in July. The department said Rubio would repeat US calls for higher defence spending and more burden sharing.

Trump troop levels in Europe and NATO meeting concerns

Before the NATO meeting, the alliance’s top military officer addressed questions about US troop changes. US Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich said on Tuesday that further reductions were unlikely soon. The comment went beyond the 5,000 troops Trump said would leave Europe. Trump announced that move early this month, surprising several allies.

The Pentagon later gave more detail on how the change would happen. Officials said thousands would be reduced by cancelling deployments. The cancelled moves involved Poland and Germany. The Pentagon said it would not remove forces already based there. Trump’s announcement still upset NATO, despite past US pledges to coordinate and avoid security gaps.

Trump NATO meeting fallout and Iran war disputes

Trump has argued with allies about the Iran war and demanded changes. Trump was notably angry at Germany during the dispute. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the United States was being humiliated by the Iranian leadership. Merz also criticised what Merz called a lack of U.S. strategy in the war. The tensions added to wider worries in Europe.

For some European officials uneasy about Trump, Rubio’s role in such talks has been seen as steadier. Rubio’s approach was described as less antagonistic and calmer. Rubio has travelled on similar missions several times in 2026. These included the Munich Security Conference in February and a more recent trip to Italy.

Trump NATO meeting agenda and Arctic issues

The State Department said Rubio would also focus on Arctic issues during the Sweden visit. Rubio was expected to meet NATO’s Arctic members. The department said the talks would cover "our shared economic and security interests in the Arctic and our strengthened posture in the High North.\" The statement did not refer to Greenland by name.

Even so, Trump has unsettled some Europeans with repeated comments about taking over the Danish territory. Trump’s special envoy for Greenland, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, visited the island this week. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Monday that the meeting with Landry was respectful and positive.

Nielsen said the position of Greenland’s population was made clear during the talks. \"The Greenlandic people are not for sale. Greenlandic self-determination is not something that can be negotiated,\" Nielsen was quoted by Danish TV 2 as saying after meeting Landry. The issue added another sensitive point near the NATO discussions.

Rubio’s Sweden trip was set against debate about US priorities in Europe and the Arctic. It also came before the July summit in Ankara, where leaders were expected to address common defence planning. Officials said Rubio would press for higher defence investment and shared responsibilities. Allied officials continued to watch troop decisions and related coordination closely.

With inputs from PTI