Belgian minister: Europe needs US defence support for up to decade

Europe will continue to rely on the United States for its defence for at least another five to ten years, Belgium’s Defence Minister Theo Francken said, urging European leaders to maintain constructive relations with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking to POLITICO, Francken stressed the importance of preserving transatlantic ties as Europe works to strengthen its own military capabilities. “Of course we need him as an ally, but don't touch Meloni. She's the queen of the centre-right in Europe. She's the alpha. Leave her alone,” the Flemish nationalist minister said, referring to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

His remarks followed a recent exchange between Trump and Meloni. Trump posted a photo of the Italian leader late Sunday, joking that he would need a restraining order against her. The post came after a reportedly awkward meeting between the two at the June G7 summit in Evian, France, where Trump said Meloni had “begged” him for a photo—an assertion she denied.

“I love her, she's conservative, she is totally on the same line ... and then you're going to have a fight on what? On a picture!” Francken added.

Francken underlined that Europe is not yet in a position to guarantee its own defence without continued U.S. support. Europeans, he said, “need to keep the Americans on board,” noting it would take between five and ten years to develop the conventional military capabilities currently provided by Washington.

The comments come amid ongoing debate over burden-sharing within NATO. Trump has repeatedly called on allies to increase defence spending, while the United States has begun reviewing aspects of its military presence in Europe. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last month announced a six-month assessment of U.S. troop deployments on the continent.

At the same time, European governments are increasing defence budgets and seeking to expand domestic defence industries, driven in part by concerns over Russia and the evolving security environment. The European Commission is preparing proposals aimed at encouraging joint procurement across member states and reducing barriers within the bloc’s defence market.

“I want to see a single market on everything,” Francken said, while cautioning against excessive reliance on national exemptions that allow governments to favour domestic suppliers. He described such opt-outs as “totally protectionist.”

“We're one of the best pupils in the class. We don't use it all the time ... We only use it very exceptionally,” he said, noting that Belgium last invoked such a provision two years ago—before he took office—when it approved a light-arms contract with domestic manufacturer FN Herstal without a competitive tender.

Despite efforts to increase military spending, Belgium still faces challenges in meeting NATO targets. While official figures place spending just above the alliance’s previous benchmark of 2 per cent of GDP, a monitoring report released Monday indicated that, under current trends, defence expenditure would reach only 1.93 per cent by 2029.

This remains well below NATO’s updated target of 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035, highlighting the scale of the adjustment required as European countries continue to strengthen their defence posture.

By Tamilla Hasanova