NATO remains cornerstone of defense for U.S., Europe: Obama

NATO continues to be the "cornerstone" of collective defense for the U.S. and Europe, U.S. President Barack Obama said Monday.

Obama made the remark after meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House. The leaders discussed the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group in wake of the latest terrorist attacks on Brussels.

The leaders emphasized the importance of staying focused on IS and countering the terrorism that has seeped up into Europe and around the world, Obama said.

"This is obviously a tumultuous time in the world," Obama said. "Europe is a focal point of a lot of these stresses and strains in the global security system."

"We stand together in the fight against terrorism," said Stoltenberg, noting that all NATO allies contribute to the U.S.-led efforts to degrade and destroy IS.

Obama and Stoltenberg also discussed issues on Libya, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Endite