HELSINKI, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Wednesday that the U.S. push for a stronger European role in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is linked to the United States' own economic pressures, as NATO members discussed higher defense spending and stronger European defense capabilities at the summit in Ankara.
Valtonen made the remarks in an interview with Finnish national broadcaster Yle after the summit agenda in Ankara. She was part of the Finnish delegation led by President Alexander Stubb to the NATO summit held in the Turkish capital from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Valtonen said one of the underlying reasons for the U.S. demand for strengthening "the European NATO" is the U.S. economy.
"We here in Europe often forget that the Americans have a fairly challenging economic situation. Also they are massively in debt," she said. "The U.S. is obliged to consider whether they can take debt open-ended."
According to Valtonen, the United States wants to concentrate its defense spending on targets closer to itself, instead of maintaining open-ended commitments to its allies.
The remarks came as the Ankara summit focused heavily on burden-sharing, defense investment and Europe's growing role in the alliance. At last year's NATO summit in The Hague, allies were committed to investing 5 percent of gross domestic product in defense and defense-related areas by 2035.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said ahead of the Ankara summit that allies were expected to present "clear, concrete and credible plans" to reach that 5-percent goal.
Finnish media have also described the Ankara summit as part of a broader shift toward a stronger European role in NATO. Yle reported ahead of the summit that one of the aims of the meeting was for Europe to take responsibility for its own conventional defense.
In a report in May, Yle described a more European NATO as the preferred option amid concerns over a reduced U.S. role in the alliance, while also saying Europe should prepare for scenarios in which the United States withdraws from NATO or makes its decision-making more difficult.
Since returning to office, Trump has repeatedly pressed European allies to take on greater defense responsibilities and increase military spending, frequently criticizing them for relying too heavily on the United States for security.
The Ankara summit therefore carries particular significance against the backdrop of Washington's long-standing demands on burden-sharing and growing debate within NATO over Europe's role in the alliance. ■