U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that NATO must be advantageous to every nation in the alliance, speaking before a NATO meeting convened in Helsingborg, Sweden.
"Like any alliance, it has to be good for everyone who’s involved. There has to be a clear understanding of what the expectations are," Rubio said, underscoring the need for shared benefits and explicit obligations among member states.
Rubio described the Helsingborg talks as preparatory, saying the meeting will lay the groundwork for the NATO leaders summit scheduled to take place in Ankara, Turkey later this year. Delegates, he suggested, will be focused on establishing a common foundation ahead of that higher-level gathering.
On the topic of Iran, Rubio said there has been slight progress but cautioned against one particular development. He warned that a tolling mechanism Iran is seeking to impose in the Strait of Hormuz would not be acceptable.
"Iran is trying to create a tolling system in straight and no nation should accept it," Rubio said, adding that the proposed tolling system in the strait is unacceptable.
Beyond geopolitical friction over the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio noted that NATO members have room to cooperate on strengthening the alliance's defense industrial base. He framed such cooperation as an area of mutual interest among members.
The remarks reflect a focus on two central themes at the Helsingborg meeting: ensuring that alliance commitments are mutually beneficial and addressing security concerns in maritime chokepoints. Rubio's comments tie the immediate meeting to preparations for the Ankara leaders summit and highlight both diplomatic and industrial aspects of alliance management.