U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged on Tuesday to share Washington’s “initial thinking” on a looming Afghanistan withdrawal deadline, as NATO allies push him for clarity on his first official European trip.
America’s top diplomat adopted a positive tone at the start of a two-day meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers as he looks to rebuild ties strained by former U.S. pPresident Donald Trump.
But high on the agenda for NATO is the future of the alliance’s 9,600-strong mission in Afghanistan after Mr. Trump struck a deal with the Taliban to withdraw troops by May 1. Allies are waiting anxiously for President Joe Biden to decide whether to stick to that date. “We have a review under way in the U.S. I’m here today in part to share some of our initial thinking with our NATO allies,” Blinken said. “Maybe even more important, I’m here to listen and consult because that is what allies do.”
Mr. Biden said last week that it would be “tough” for Washington to meet the looming deadline.
