NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has delivered a stark assessment of Europe’s security ambitions, warning that the European Union would be unable to defend itself without the United States even if member states dramatically increased military spending. Speaking before the European Parliament on Monday, Rutte dismissed growing calls for strategic autonomy as unrealistic and cautioned that the financial and political costs of going it alone could still end in failure.
Rutte’s remarks directly challenged a rising narrative within parts of the EU leadership that Europe must reduce its reliance on Washington for security guarantees. In mid-January, EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius floated the idea of creating a 100,000-strong standing European army capable of independent action. Rutte rejected such proposals outright, telling lawmakers that any belief Europe could defend itself without American backing was detached from reality.
According to the NATO chief, even the recently agreed benchmark of spending 5% of GDP on defense would fall far short of what true independence would require. He argued that European states would need to commit closer to 10% of GDP to their militaries, while also developing their own nuclear deterrent, an undertaking he described as costing “billions, billions and billions of euros.” Even then, he warned, the outcome would not be assured, bluntly concluding that those who pursued total autonomy would still risk defeat.
The comments come as NATO members adjust to a shifting transatlantic relationship. At a summit in The Hague last year, the alliance agreed to the 5% defense spending threshold, a demand long championed by US President Donald Trump. Rutte has repeatedly praised Trump for pressuring lagging allies such as Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Canada to meet existing 2% commitments and to accept higher future targets, crediting Washington’s hard line with reshaping alliance behavior.
At the same time, the United States has signaled a recalibration of its global priorities. Washington has stated that it intends to scale back certain commitments to European allies while urging them to shoulder more responsibility for their own security. Last week, the Pentagon said its strategic focus would center on defending the US homeland and deterring China, reinforcing perceptions in Europe that American attention is gradually shifting away from the continent.
Tensions have also surfaced beyond defense spending. European leaders have expressed frustration at being sidelined in US-mediated Ukraine peace talks, while clashing with Washington over President Trump’s push to acquire Greenland. Some EU politicians have warned that such moves could mark the end of what they describe as eight decades of Atlantic unity. Against this backdrop, Rutte’s intervention underscored a hard message: Europe may aspire to strategic independence, but for now, its security remains inseparable from American power.
