In a statement delivered to European Union legislators in Brussels on Monday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte asserted that Europe cannot maintain its defense independently without substantial military support from the United States. Rutte underscored that if anyone believes the European Union or Europe collectively can protect its security solely on its own, such expectations are unrealistic.
He emphasized the interdependent relationship between Europe and the U.S., insisting that both parties are essential partners in maintaining mutual security. "Europe and the United States need each other," he remarked during his address.
This declaration comes amidst rising friction within NATO related to U.S. President Donald Trump's recent remarks about potentially annexing Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory under the sovereignty of NATO member Denmark. Trump additionally announced intentions to impose tariffs targeting European nations supporting Greenland, though these threats were retracted following Rutte's involvement in establishing a preliminary framework for a cooperative agreement concerning the mineral-rich island. Specific details of this arrangement remain undisclosed.
The military alliance, consisting of 32 countries, operates under the binding Article 5 clause of the original Washington treaty, which obligates all member states to defend any ally facing territorial aggression.
During NATO's summit in The Hague last July, European members, excluding Spain, alongside Canada consented to U.S. President Trump's request to align their defense expenditures with the proportion of the U.S. economy devoted to defense spending within ten years. Their commitment entails allocating 3.5% of gross domestic product to fundamental defense capabilities, plus an additional 1.5% toward security-related infrastructure investments, summing up to a 5% GDP investment target by 2035.
Rutte cautioned lawmakers that if Europe aims to operate independently, even this increased spending is insufficient. "Forget that you can ever get there with 5%. It will be 10%. You have to build up your own nuclear capability. That costs billions and billions of euros," he stated.
France has been a prominent advocate for Europe to develop "strategic autonomy," and support for independent defense capacities has intensified within the European Union subsequent to the Trump administration's indication that its security focus is elsewhere, effectively placing the onus on Europe to manage its own defense needs.
Rutte further remarked that without the U.S., Europe would forfeit the "ultimate guarantor of our freedom," referring to the U.S. nuclear umbrella. He concluded with a note of pragmatism, implying the challenge this represents, "So, hey, good luck!"