Rutte faces balancing act at NATO summit as Trump presses Europe on defence

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will face the challenge of balancing U.S. President Donald Trump's demands for greater European defence spending while maintaining unity among the alliance's European members at this week's NATO summit in Ankara, according to a commentary published by Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

The summit, scheduled for 7–8 July, comes as Trump has continued to criticise some European NATO allies for what he has described as insufficient defence contributions.

Rutte will need to navigate a delicate diplomatic path to address Trump's concerns without undermining Europe's position within the alliance.

The newspaper said that although speculation about a possible U.S. withdrawal from NATO has eased in recent months, concerns about Washington's long-term commitment to the alliance persist. It argued that these concerns help explain Rutte's continued push for NATO members to increase defence spending.

The commentary also questioned expectations that higher European military spending would quickly strengthen the continent's economy and reduce its dependence on the United States. While advocates of increased defence investment had argued that rearmament would stimulate economic growth and technological innovation, El Mundo said those benefits have yet to materialise and are unlikely to do so in the near term.

By Sabina Mammadli