NATO ministers meet to prepare summit, Afghan withdrawal

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO’s foreign and defense ministers will be meeting to lay the groundwork for the military alliance’s first summit with U.S. President Joe Biden. That will set aside four tumultuous years working with the Trump administration. The ministers will discuss a hefty communique being drafted for the June 14 summit in Brussels. The main aim of Tuesday’s meeting is to reaffirm the unity of the 30-nation security alliance. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says “this is a pivotal moment for our alliance and our collective security.” But the most pressing issue is how best to wind up NATO’s operations in Afghanistan.