U.S. Senator Bob Corker.

WASHINGTON – Before the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday criticized the lack of commitment among NATO members to collective defense while citing mounting pressures facing Europe from Russian aggression, the flow of asylum seekers, and terrorism. Only five of NATO’s 28 member states spend the required two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. The senator’s comments came during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the agenda for the upcoming NATO Summit (July 8 – 9) in Warsaw, Poland.

“Never has there been a more critical or opportune moment to discuss and recommit to…collective defense, crisis management and cooperative security [within NATO],” said Corker. “I think one of the greatest threats to NATO is…[that] most of the countries are not pulling their load, and they depend so heavily upon [the United States] for their security.”

He also reiterated his request of President Obama to announce a decision before the summit postponing the drawdown of U.S. security forces in Afghanistan.

“Just last week, I called on President Obama to clearly articulate his intentions for U.S. troop strength for this mission prior to the summit, in order to deliver a clear message about U.S. leadership in the efforts to secure a stable and democratic Afghanistan and generate the essential support of our NATO allies in this endeavor,” he added.

The committee heard testimony yesterday from Derek Chollet, a counselor and senior advisor for security and defense policy at the German Marshall Fund, and Ian Brzezinski, a resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council. Full testimony and archived footage from the hearing is available here.

Today Corker responded to the outcome of the UK’s vote to exit the EU by reiterating the strength of the special relationship between the U.S. and Britain.

“A free people should choose their own way, and we respect the British decision to leave the European Union,” said Corker. “Today’s referendum will not change our special relationship with the United Kingdom. That close partnership will endure, and we will continue to work together to strengthen a robust trade relationship and to address our common security interests.”