Europe challenges Rutte’s focus on US in NATO leadership

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has centered his tenure on one overriding mission: preventing President Donald Trump from undermining the alliance. That focus, however, has put him at odds with European capitals, leaving NATO strained even after he successfully dissuaded Trump from pursuing his Greenland ambitions, POLITICO reports.

The tension was on full display in the European Parliament, where Rutte stressed the United States’ primacy in the alliance. “If anyone thinks here … that the European Union or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the US, keep on dreaming. You can’t,” he told lawmakers. The remarks sparked swift backlash. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot fired back: “Europeans can and must take charge of their own security. This is the European pillar of NATO.”

Other EU lawmakers echoed the criticism. Former French Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau called Rutte’s stance “a disgraceful moment” and argued that NATO needs to rebalance between US and European contributions. Spain’s MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor asked bluntly: “Are you the [US] ambassador to [NATO], or the secretary-general representing the alliance and its members?”

Rutte’s priority has been keeping the US aligned with NATO, particularly under Trump, a strategy some diplomats describe as a “band-aid” that alienates other allies. “We’re an alliance of 32, not a US-plus-31 club,” said one official. Still, defenders credit Rutte for maintaining alliance cohesion, noting that he often speaks more frankly to Trump in private.

The Greenland episode highlighted the stakes. While Rutte persuaded Trump to back off his threats at the January Davos summit, critics question whether it offers lasting security. Greens MEP Villy Søvndal asked, “What supposed deal have you made with President Trump? Did you have a mandate as a secretary-general to negotiate on behalf of Greenland and Denmark?” Rutte denied overstepping, asserting he had no mandate to negotiate on Denmark’s behalf.

Rutte’s approach, honed over 14 years as the Netherlands’ longest-serving prime minister, blends public flattery with private candor. “He can make himself very small and humble to reach his goal,” said biographer Petra de Koning. NATO diplomats acknowledge the strategy has delivered results, yet caution that “the question is, where does it end?”

By Vafa Guliyeva