The US is moving forward with a"fundamental restructuring" of its commitments to European security, transitioning from the traditional "burden sharing" strategy to that of "burden shifting," according to aDer Spiegelreportpublished on May 26.
Under the new visiondubbed "NATO 3.0,"Washington expects European allies to assume responsibility for the continent’s entire conventional defense.
In this new framework, the US willprimarily provide a nuclear deterrentrather than the broad military support it has historically guaranteed.
This transition, which the report notes has blindsided European officials, involves drastic reductions in US military assets previously committed to the "NATO Force Model."
Alexander Velez-Green, an envoy to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, recently informed allies that Washingtonintends to cut its contribution of fighter jets by one-third and significantly reduce the number of strategic bombers, navy destroyers, and aerial refueling aircraft.
The report notes that the US plans to stop providing submarines to the NATO pool entirely and expects Europeans to supply their own reconnaissance and armed drones.
The primary driver for this withdrawal is the US military’s pivot toward the Asia-Pacific, though officials also cited the need for flexibility to commit assets to military campaigns in West Asia and the Western Hemisphere.
Washington reportedly seeks to prepare for a potential "two-front conflict," noting that US intelligence identifies 2027 as the "key date" when China may be capable of launching an offensive against Taiwan.
Given the possibility, the US no longer wishes to have its key assets “tied up” by fixed NATO commitments.
The report highlights an intensely fast-paced transition, with the US demanding that European allies present specific offers to fill these newly created military gaps by early June,aiming to formalize the new model at theJuly summitin Ankara.
Source: ZeroHedge News
