NATO chief: US, Iran conflict could lead to ‘North Korea moment’

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday the U.S. conflict with Iran could lead to a “North Korea moment” that could put other countries at a “big risk.”

Rutte, who has developed a strong relationship with President Trump despite the U.S. leader’s criticisms of NATO, told CNN’s Jake Tapper that NATO countries are committed to “the aims of taking out, as I said, degrading the nuclear and ballistic missile capacity of the Iranians.”

When Tapper pushed back, saying that NATO allies in Europe sought that conclusion “through diplomatic means,” Rutte responded: “Yeah, I know, but we run the risk that this would lead into the North Korea moment where you talk so long that at a certain moment, it’s beyond the point where you can still get this done, because then they would get their hands on the nuclear capacity.”

“That is basically a big risk for Europe,” he continued. “It is existential for Israel; it is existential for the Middle East, so the whole world is safer by this president degrading those capabilities. And this is, by many Europeans, acknowledged, and they understand that continuing talking to get this done would have potentially put us past where you can still do this.”

In response, Tapper referred Rutte to a Trump statement about NATO released Wednesday that NATO members “were tested and they failed,” referring to the defense alliance’s stance on the conflict with Iran.

Rutte agreed that “some” countries were “tested and failed,” but he emphasized that most NATO countries stepped up to “be this platform of power projection for the United States.”

“So, what the U.S. did to Iran — they could do because so many European countries lived up to those commitments,” Rutte said. “Not all of them.”

Trump has escalated his criticisms of NATO following the start of the war with Iran, pushing for more military support from NATO allies. The allies have refused to join the conflict, causing more frustration for the administration.

“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!” Trump wrote Wednesday evening on Truth Social, referring to his push to take over Greenland earlier this year.

These remarks followed a nearly two-hour long meeting between Trump and Rutte at the White House.

Rutte has backed the conflict with Iran, but this has not stopped Trump from threatening to withdraw from the alliance, which would require congressional approval.

Rutte in January was successfully able to calm sentiments after Trump escalated his threats to take over Greenland, suggesting the military could be involved. He veered the president away from the threats and proposed a negotiation framework that offers some of the military support Trump pushed for.

The U.S. and Iran hold a shaky ceasefire agreement, with talks led by Vice President Vance scheduled for this weekend in Islamabad. Iran reopened and shut down the Strait of Hormuz in less than 24 hours, citing Israel’s ongoing military attacks on the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

Iran’s speaker of Parliament on Tuesday argued that the U.S. violated key parts of its 10-point peace plan. Trump issued the country a warning the next day, telling Iran to comply with the deal or else “the ‘Shootin Starts,’ bigger and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.”

The U.S. and Iran have differed with whether the ceasefire covers Lebanon, with Iran saying it does and the Trump administration saying it does not.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the ceasefire does cover Lebanon.