Ex-NATO ambassador warns US and allies must unite on Iran nuclear conflict
Kurt Volker calls for ‘stop rhetoric’ about potential NATO exit amid conflict with Iran
Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker touches upon the critical work carried out to search for a missing airman after the US F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran. Volker warns against Iran using the service member as a hostage for propaganda purposes. He also criticizes President Donald Trump’s proposals to re-evaluate NATO, emphasizes the mutual benefits of the alliance and its importance for European security, and recalls his support after September 11.
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Former US Amb. The United States and its allies must “stop the sniping” and come together to end the conflict with Iran, NATO member Kurt Volker warned in an interview with Fox News on Saturday.
Volker appeared on “Fox News Live” to discuss the Trump administration’s comments regarding a re-evaluation of relations with NATO.
“I think it’s completely wrong,” Volker told Fox News host Aishah Hasnie about the friction with NATO.
“We didn’t inform the Allies. We didn’t consult the Allies. We didn’t set a clear goal, a joint operation. We didn’t ask them. So this thing went off the rails from the very beginning.”
AS THE IRAN WAR DEFICIT WITH TRUMP EXTENDS, MORE MAJOR US ALLIES ARE BLOCKING MILITARY FLIGHTS
President Donald Trump attended the NATO heads of state and government summit held in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. (Piroschka Van De Wouw/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Operation Epic Fury has strained some relations between the United States and its allies. Spain and other allies rejected the use of jointly operated bases for these operations. The United Kingdom also allowed limited use of its bases for strictly defensive purposes.
Volker argued that both parties should pause before making a big decision.
“We both need to breathe, to realize that a very important goal of NATO is peace in Europe,” Volker said. he said.
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“We need to stop the rhetoric, talk to each other, and find a path forward on truly opening the Persian Gulf, ending the war with Iran, and restoring security in Europe,” he added.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a meeting between President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte where President Trump announced an agreement to send U.S. weapons to Ukraine through NATO in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, July 14, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo (Nathan Howard/Reuters)
President Donald Trump has signaled that the White House may rethink its relations with some of its European allies in the wake of the conflict.
He told The Telegraph in an article published on Wednesday and said: “Oh yeah, I’d say [it’s] beyond re-evaluation. I have never been impressed by NATO. “I always knew they were paper tigers, and by the way, Putin knows it too.”
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Trump is expected to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte next week for a planned visit. Volker said he believes he and Trump would have a better discussion about U.S. goals in Iran.
President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House on July 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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“I think Rutte is behind closed doors with President Trump, we need to talk about what the way forward is,” Volker said. “What is the goal here with Iran now? Regime change or bargaining with the regime?”
“We must create a valid plan, work on it together and stop sniper attacks,” he added.
