US Vice President Michael Pence warned that NATO member countries should increase their defense spending to observe undertaken obligations, BBC reports.

Delivering speech in Brussels, Pence claimed that US people might lose patience, if NATO countries do not share defense burden with the USA.

“The President expects for the real progress by late 2017”, Pence added.

Pence also claimed that the USA is still committed to cooperation and partnership with EU.

US Vice President conducted negotiations in Brussels with European Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President of the European Council Donald Tusk.

Pence attempted to ensure them that the USA is ready to work with Europe, in spite of certain statements of US President Donald Trump. He said that it was Trump, who asked him to arrive to Brussels in order to acknowledge US support of NATO.  

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker claimed that the USA needs a strong and united European Union.

“Currently, it is not the time for Europe to divide itself into former national, provincial categories”, Juncker added.

Many European allies of the USA were dissatisfied with Donald Trump statements about NATO and Brexit.

Trump repeatedly criticized different international organizations, including North Atlantic Alliance, which was initially created in order to defend Europe from threat of war with USSR.

Trump repeatedly criticized NATO member countries that most of them do not observe undertaken obligations on spending 2% of their GDP for defense purposes.

US President also publicly supported Britain’s decision to exit from the EU, calling it smart. In his interview to Times, he forecast that other countries might follow United Kingdom.

Trump’s rhetoric changed a little bit in early February, when he expressly declared about the resolute support of NATO.