On January 26, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that the European Union (EU) will not be able to defend itself even if it increases defense spending to 10% of GDP without US protection.
Mr. Rutte's assessment was made in the context of some EU officials continuing to call on the bloc to reduce its dependence on the US for security, when Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said that the EU needs a standing force of 100,000 troops to be able to act independently.
According to Mr. Rutte, such plans are unrealistic. "If anyone here thinks that the European Union or Europe in general can defend itself without the US, then just keep dreaming. That's impossible," he said.
Speaking before the European Parliament, the NATO Secretary General warned that those who "really want to go alone" should "forget the idea that it is possible to achieve that with a spending level of 5% of GDP for defense".
Mr. Rutte noted that the EU will not only need at least twice this number, but also have to invest in its own nuclear capabilities - which "consume billions, billions and billions of euros", while emphasizing that if it goes alone, "it will lose".
NATO agreed on a defense spending threshold of 5% of GDP at a summit in The Hague last year. This request was initially made by US President Donald Trump and has since received much praise from Mr. Rutte.
Also in his speech on January 25, Mr. Rutte once again praised Mr. Trump for forcing countries like "Spain, Italy, Belgium and Canada" to fulfill their current 2% GDP spending commitments, as well as agreeing to the new threshold.
The EU's above view stems from Washington's repeated declarations that it would narrow its commitments to European allies, while calling on them to shoulder more responsibility for their own security. Last week, the Pentagon said it would prioritize "protecting US territory and deterring China".
Not only that, the EU was also sidelined in peace talks on Ukraine mediated by the US, and tensions arose with Washington regarding Mr. Trump's promotion of the plan to seize control of Greenland, thereby further exacerbating the feeling of declining European role.
