Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) urged NATO countries to continue demonstrating "unity" on Friday, warning that any other scenario would only benefit Russia and Iran.
Speaking in Helsingborg, Sweden, where foreign ministers from the 32 NATO member states gathered, Prévot argued against public disputes. "We have nothing to gain by publicly displaying a quarrel between NATO allies on the international stage," he said. "The only ones who would benefit from that spectacle with a bit of popcorn are the Iranian leaders and Putin."
Divisions among NATO member states have increased since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Tensions rose earlier this year following the American president's ambition to acquire Greenland, alongside ongoing friction regarding the American offensive in Iran. While the latter is not a NATO operation, Trump has claimed that alliance members are not providing sufficient support.
Prévot pointed out that NATO countries are working towards a more balanced distribution of efforts, noting that Europe is taking more responsibility due to the "persistent Russian threat".
The minister emphasised that the Belgian Government is once again playing its role. While Belgium was previously one of the alliance's poor performers regarding defence spending, Prévot stated the country has made a "substantial effort" and now meets the 2% target.
