Strong NATO is in US interests, says British defense chief

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The UK will make it clear to the US that a “strong NATO is in their interests,” Defense Secretary John Healey said on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference in Norway, Healey highlighted the critical role NATO plays in ensuring global security, particularly in the face of ongoing threats from Russia.

His remarks came amid shifting political dynamics in the US, where President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned American support for NATO and European allies.

He emphasized that collective defense remains essential for both European and American security, as NATO serves as a key deterrent against aggression.

- Strengthening UK-Norway Defense cooperation

Alongside his Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik, Healey also announced the beginning of talks on a new UK-Norway defense agreement. The goal is to “develop and strengthen our defense and security cooperation,” adapting to a rapidly changing security environment, he said.

Sandvik, for his part, described the UK as Norway’s “closest and most important European ally for decades” but warned that the Russia-Ukraine war has significantly worsened global security.

During the news conference, Healey was repeatedly asked about Ukraine and recent comments by Trump, who had labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator.”

Healey pushed back against Trump’s characterization of Zelenskyy, likening the Ukrainian president’s leadership to that of Winston Churchill during World War II

He pointed out that like Churchill, Zelenskyy suspended elections in wartime to maintain stability and defend his country against an existential threat.

At the same time, Healey acknowledged that Russia retains a significant role in determining the course of the war. “Putin holds the cards in the sense that he could end the war if he withdrew his troops,” he stated.

- Trump’s role in ending war

When asked if the UK could trust Trump to help accomplish the goal of ending the war, Healey suggested that a stable Euro-Atlantic region remains in America’s interests.

“It is in President Trump and America’s interests that we get a durable peace, as he’s argued and pledged to deliver,” Healey said. “It’s in President Trump and America’s interests that the Euro-Atlantic area is stable, secure, and NATO is strong.”

“For me, NATO has never been bigger, never been stronger. Putin wants to divide NATO. He wants to divide Europe, he added.