Tillerson to skip NATO meeting, leaders of China and Russia on agenda

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will not attend the meeting of foreign ministers of the NATO alliance planned for April, in order to meet with the Chinese president in Washington, and after that travel to Russia, writes Patria.

The meeting of 28 representatives of NATO member states, which will be held on April 5 and 6 in Brussels, would have been the first of its kind for the new Secretary of State. Now, however, it is clear that the visit of the Chinese president to America, where he will meet with President Donald Trump on April 6 and 7, is a much higher priority for Tillerson.

Two former US officials told Reuters that Tillerson's absence from the NATO meeting and his visit to Moscow could create the impression that President Trump is prioritizing US relations with major powers, while putting on hold smaller nations that depend on Washington for security.

This is supported by Trump's undisguised sympathy for Vladimir Putin, as well as the fact that Tillerson worked with the Russian government for years as CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp. He also questioned whether sanctions against Russia were a wise decision, as they threaten to harm US business.

A State Department spokesperson announced that Tillerson will meet with foreign ministers from 26 out of 27 NATO member states (all except Croatia) on Wednesday at a coalition meeting to fight ISIL, Reuters reports.