NATO chief dismisses push for fully independent EU military

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated that, despite the current policy direction of US President Donald Trump’s administration, it is unnecessary for the European Union to pursue complete independence from the United States in defence matters. While the US expects Europe to assume greater responsibility and increase defence spending, Rutte emphasized that this should occur in partnership with the United States, which remains fully committed to NATO and to European security.

Rutte made the comments in response to a question about whether he shared the view of CSU politician Manfred Weber, who recently called for the EU to evolve into a “European NATO,” citing concerns that Europe could no longer rely unconditionally on the United States, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media.

“I have great respect for Manfred Weber,” Rutte said, “but on this issue, I have a slightly different perspective. I am absolutely convinced that the United States is fully committed to NATO. There is no doubt about that.”

He also highlighted the NATO summit in The Hague this past summer, where all allies agreed to raise defence-related spending to five percent of GDP by 2035. “I believe this remains one of President Trump’s greatest foreign policy achievements,” he noted.

Rutte further pointed out that NATO extends beyond the US and EU member states. “When it comes to Europe and NATO, it is more than just the EU,” he said. While the EU plays a vital role, the 23 EU members together represent only about one-quarter of NATO’s total economic output. “Seventy-five percent remains outside the EU,” he added, citing NATO members including the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, and the United States.

Manfred Weber, leader of the largest European Parliament faction with the European People’s Party, has long advocated for greater European autonomy in defence, including the creation of a European army. He recently pointed to the new US security strategy and perceived US support for Russian positions in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine as evidence reinforcing his argument.

Although the US security strategy does not question American membership in NATO, it notes that the era in which the United States “supported the entire world order like Atlas” is over. The document emphasizes a “America First” approach, signaling a shift in US global priorities.

By Vafa Guliyeva