NATO Chief Stoltenberg Starts US Visit To Meet With Trump, Global Anti-IS Coalition

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th November, 2019) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is set to arrive in Washington on Tuesday for a four-day visit, during which he will face talks on the alliance's burden-sharing with President Donald Trump and meet with the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia).

The visit will start with the NATO chief receiving the Diplomat of the Year Award from the Foreign Policy magazine for his leadership in what is deemed to be a challenging period for the alliance. His stint indeed comes at a time described by French President Emmanuel Macron as "brain death" of the alliance lacking coordination and the strong US leadership.

The next day after receiving the award, Stoltenberg will meet with Trump at the White House to discuss "more equitable burden-sharing," a core issue for the US president that has put him at odds with main NATO allies in Europe.

The same day, he will join an extraordinary meeting of the global coalition against IS. The talks will focus on the future of the anti-terror fight following the elimination of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. They will also touch upon the situation in northeastern Syria in light of Turkey's controversial military operation in the region.