NATO chief says despite differences, alliance 'stronger together'

BRUSSELS: NATO members disagree on many issues including a new Russian gas pipeline to Germany, but the alliance is stronger together and will deliver on boosting defense spending, NATO secretary-general Jen Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters an hour after US President Donald Trump accused Germany of 'being captive' to Russian energy supplies, Stoltenberg said it was not up to NATO to decide on the pipeline and that it was a national decision.

He also said while Trump had very direct language on defense spending, the allies all agreed on burden sharing and 2017 saw the biggest increase in defense spending in a generation.

"Despite disagreements, I expect that we will agree on the fundamentals that we are stronger together than apart," he told reporters.