Islam Times – NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told the European Parliament on Monday that the EU could not defend itself without US support, warning that even spending 10% of GDP on defense might fall short.His remarks came amid continued calls by some EU officials to make the bloc less dependent on America for security.
In mid-January, Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius claimed the EU needed a 100,000-strong standing army to be capable of independent action.
According to Rutte, such plans would be unrealistic. “If anyone thinks here, again, that the European Union or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the US, keep on dreaming. You can’t,” he stated.
The secretary general warned that EU members spending only 5% of GDP on defense would fail if they went it alone, urging them to at least double spending and invest in costly nuclear capabilities.
NATO set the 5% defense spending target at last year’s Hague summit, a move championed by US President Trump, whom Rutte praised for pushing countries like Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Canada to meet their commitments.
Washington has signaled reduced commitments to Europe, prioritizing US homeland defense and China deterrence, while the EU has felt sidelined in Ukraine talks and clashed with the US over Greenland.