U.

S officials, who asked to remain anonymous, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would emphasize Washington's commitment to the transatlantic treaty.

After Trump's open hostility, Biden's Republican predecessor publicly ridiculed NATO allies such as Germany, who failed to reach defense spending targets.

E think that NATO was not doing what they were supposed to be doing a lot of the countries and we were doing much more than we should have been doing.

Frankly, we were carrying too much of a burden.

That's why we call it burden sharing.

Officials said Biden would not abandon those targets but will focus on bolstering NATO's collective defense.

Secretary General Stoltenberg, you're on speakerphone with president by Mr Secretary.

How are you?

Underscoring Biden's views on NATO, the White House took the rare step of releasing a video last month of the US president's first conversation with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in which used the word sacred to describe America's commitment to the treaty.

It's a sacred commitment.

The NATO defense ministers meeting comes as efforts to secure a peace deal in Afghanistan teeter amid rising Taliban attacks.

The Taliban must reduce violence, NATO chief Stoltenberg said on Monday.

Taliban militants must do more to meet the terms of a 2020 peace agreement with the US if foreign troops are to withdraw by a May deadline.

While no ally wants to stay in Afghanistan longer than necessary, we will not leave before the time is right.