NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivered a clear and direct message to European leaders and parliamentarians, asserting that the continent currently lacks the capacity, or will have in the near future, to defend itself independently of the United States. These remarks, made during his address to the European Parliament in Brussels, definitively confirmed the growing calls within the European Union for greater military "strategic autonomy.".
The end of the dream of defensive independence
In a firm response to calls for a break from the EU's defense partnership with Washington, particularly in light of recent tensions over Greenland, Rutte stated unequivocally: "If anyone here still believes that the EU, or Europe as a whole, can defend itself without the United States, then let them continue dreaming. You can't." He explained that this ambition, while politically appealing to some, lacks military and logistical realism.
Rutte pointed to the exorbitant cost of this hypothetical scenario, explaining that building a purely European defense alliance would require an astronomical leap in military spending. Instead of the currently agreed-upon percentages, European countries would have to allocate up to 10% of their GDP to defense, in addition to spending hundreds of billions to develop independent nuclear deterrent capabilities—an economic burden that European budgets, already facing economic challenges, might not be able to bear.
Loss of the nuclear umbrella and Article 5
The NATO Secretary General addressed the most dangerous aspect of the equation of distancing itself from Washington: the loss of the "ultimate guarantee" of European freedom represented by the American nuclear umbrella. He affirmed that the United States remains fully committed to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which considers an attack on any member an attack on all, emphasizing that Washington understands its national security is linked to a secure and stable Euro-Atlantic area.
The dispute over a unified European army
In a related development, Rutte criticized the proposal by European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius to create a joint European military force to replace US troops. Rutte argued that such a move would only complicate the security landscape and disperse resources, adding with biting political sarcasm: "I think Russian President Vladimir Putin would love that if they really thought about it," implying that weakening the transatlantic alliance directly benefits the West's strategic adversaries.
The Greenland file and responsibility in the Arctic
Regarding the controversy surrounding Greenland and former US President Donald Trump's desire to control it, Rutte explained that he had reached an understanding that NATO would assume greater responsibility for the defense of the Arctic Circle, given its increasing strategic importance. However, he emphasized that the question of a direct US presence or sovereignty was a matter for negotiation between Washington, Copenhagen, and the Greenlandic authorities, stating: "I am not authorized to negotiate on behalf of Denmark.".
Rutte concluded by recalling the shared sacrifices made by the allies, noting that he reminded Trump of the heavy price paid by allied nations in Afghanistan, where one allied soldier fell for every two American soldiers, confirming that the transatlantic partnership is not a one-way street, but an alliance baptized in blood and shared interests.
