NATO Secretary GeneralMark Ruttesaid Europe must take “a bigger responsibility” for its own defence as the US gradually pivots focus to other global theatres. Rutte also acknowledged the reality of America’s global military commitments, saying the US “cannot be everywhere at the same time” as it balancesEurope, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
“We are not preparing” for a US exit from NATO, Rutte said, stressing that Washington remains “very strongly” committed to the alliance. But he added that Europe has become “overly reliant on one ally being the United States.”
“What you will see over the coming years is a gradual shift, where the Europeans take this bigger responsibility,” he said.
The remarks came amid discussions on ramping up NATO defence spending, military production and long-term support for Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signalled that Washington’s military footprint in Europe will shrink over time, saying allies are already aware that “the United States troop presence in Europe is going to be adjusted.”
“We have obligations in the Indo-Pacific, we have obligations in the Middle East,” Rubio said, adding that the review of US force posture has been “an ongoing process.”
Rubio stressed the move was not sudden or political, saying the changes were being worked out “in coordination with our allies” and as part of planning for “a two-front conflict.”
At the same time, he pushed European allies to speed up defence spending and burden-sharing. “The stronger our NATO allies are, the stronger NATO is going to be,” he said.
Echoing NATO chief Mark Rutte, Rubio said Europe “can’t take forever” to prepare for a future where the US is more focused on other theatres around the world.
The meeting of diplomats, which precedes a NATO leaders' summit in Turkey in July, comes amid great uncertainty over how the war in Iran will play out and whether stalled US efforts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict will resume.
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