Former NATO commander warns of alliance's imminent collapse

Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe from 2009 to 2013, Admiral James Stavridis has said that NATO could be nearing its end.

Stavridis warned that the transatlantic alliance might be in its “last days,” with growing questions about America’s commitment to the organisation. He also suggested that the rise of a new "European Treaty Organisation" could be on the horizon, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The heightened tension surrounding NATO comes after US President Donald Trump's continued insistence on European nations increasing their defence budgets. This demand was compounded by a public fallout between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a tense White House meeting, sparking serious concerns among NATO member states.

“We could be looking at the last days of NATO,” Admiral Stavridis said. “This is a gut issue about who are you going to support? A democracy that’s under attack, or are you going to support a dictator in Moscow?” Stavridis added that the growing divide could drive a deep wedge into the heart of the alliance and spill over beyond Ukraine. “This is going to bleed over beyond Ukraine – as to whether the United States can be trusted as a partner. We could see the end of NATO and the start of what might be called the European Treaty Organisation, ETO.”

His comments come as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Zelenskyy, and other European leaders are set to meet in London for a summit on March 2 afternoon. The meeting, which was organised by Sir Keir Starmer, was originally intended to provide an update on talks with Trump. However, the summit has been overshadowed by a dramatic confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy earlier in the week. The altercation stemmed from Zelenskyy's challenge to US Vice President JD Vance over the new administration’s attempts to engage Russia in diplomatic talks.

Stavridis suggested that Moscow would likely celebrate the confrontation, noting that the clash would serve as a red alert to NATO's European members. “Donald Trump has made it clear he wants no part of helping Ukraine going forwards,” said Admiral Stavridis. “It’s a geopolitical mistake of epic proportions. Now the lights go on in Europe, they’re going to have to step up and take this on.” The former NATO commander urged European leaders to take decisive action, saying, “If I’m a European, at this point I’m saying, I need bigger defence spending, I need my European defence companies to step up, I need to build European armed forces, I need a command structure outside NATO.” There has been increasing speculation over whether Trump intends to withdraw the US from NATO altogether, despite its foundational role in the alliance. 

The president has repeatedly urged NATO members to meet the defence spending target of two per cent of GDP, warning that countries that fail to meet this target could face dire consequences, including encouraging Russia to take action against NATO members. In recent weeks, Trump has escalated his calls, pushing for NATO members to raise defence spending to as much as five per cent of their GDP. As the London summit approaches, discussions are expected to focus heavily on Europe’s need to enhance defence cooperation, particularly as concerns grow about the future of NATO and Europe’s reliance on US support. 

French President Emmanuel Macron has voiced openness to discussions on creating a potential European nuclear deterrent, following a request by Friedrich Merz, Germany’s incoming leader. Merz himself has emphasised the need for Europe to achieve “independence” from the US on defence matters, underscoring the urgency of these conversations for the future of European security.

By Naila Huseynova