Finnish Ambassador to the United States Mikko Hautala has sought to respond to Donald Trump's anti-Nato rhetoric, The New York Times reported.
According to an article published in the paper on Saturday, Hautala has sought to convince the former US president and potential 2024 candidate that Finland, as a new member of Nato, has something to offer the military alliance. The paper based its information on two anonymous sources who said they were aware of such discussions.
The New York Times said that European diplomats have begun to worry about the direction of US foreign policy if Trump is elected president in next year's elections.
During his previous presidency, Trump assessed foreign relations mainly in terms of what immediate benefits they could bring to the US.
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In the 21st century, China has emerged as a strategic challenger to the US, but Washington continues to spend heavily on supporting Nato and European security.
This could change if Trump is re-elected president of the United States. But no one seems to know what kind of foreign policy Trump will eventually pursue, the paper said.
The potential presidential candidate himself has said very little about his plans.
"We need to complete a reassessment of Nato's purpose and mission," Trump's campaign website briefly states.
The uncertainty has prompted several European diplomats—including Finland's Hautala— and think-tanks to contact Trump's campaign team and the candidate himself, the New York Times said.
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