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NATO Leaders Present United Front Amid Bitter Differences

Patsy Widakuswara

   LONDON - NATO leaders are gathering at a golf resort outside of London
   Wednesday to present a united front amid bitter differences over
   terrorism, Turkey and increased burden sharing with the United States.

   The 29 leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, posed for a
   traditional "family" photograph before retreating for the planned
   three-hour meeting. The leaders are expected to release a statement
   afterwards promising to focus more attention on the challenges posed by
   Russia and rising superpower China.

   On the sidelines of the meeting Wednesday, Trump met with Turkish
   President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The White House said "the two
   Presidents discussed the importance of Turkey fulfilling its alliance
   commitments, further strengthening commerce through boosting bilateral
   trade by $100 billion, regional security challenges, and energy
   security."

   A day earlier, leaders had gathered for informal meetings to mark the
   70th anniversary of the alliance's founding, but the day was
   overshadowed when tensions between President Trump and French President
   Emmanuel Macron broke out in full public display.

   Macron vs Trump
   In an almost 40-minute session with journalists the two leaders clashed
   on a number of issues including burden sharing within NATO, terrorism,
   Turkey's invasion in northern Syria, and the U.S. withdrawal from an
   arms treaty with Russia.

   The two leaders met hours after Trump criticized Macron for his recent
   statement describing NATO as experiencing a "brain death," due to
   diminished U.S. leadership. Trump called it a "nasty statement."

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