The United States wants Europe to take on most of NATO's conventional defense capabilities, from intelligence to missiles, by 2027, Pentagon officials told diplomats in Washington this week, and this tight deadline seemed unrealistic to some European officials, Reuters reports, writes UNN.
Details
The message, conveyed by five sources familiar with the discussions, including a US official, was delivered at a meeting in Washington this week with Pentagon staff dealing with NATO policy and several European delegations, the publication writes.
Shifting this burden from the US to European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would radically change how the United States, one of the founders of the post-war alliance, interacts with its most important military partners, the publication notes.
At the meeting, Pentagon officials said that Washington was not yet satisfied with Europe's progress in building up its defense capabilities after Russia's expanded invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
US officials told their counterparts that if Europe does not meet the 2027 deadline, the US may cease participation in some NATO defense coordination mechanisms, sources said.
Some officials on Capitol Hill are aware of the Pentagon's message to the Europeans and are concerned about it, one US official said.
No clarity on assessment
Conventional defense capabilities include non-nuclear assets, from troops to weapons, and officials did not explain how the US would assess Europe's progress in taking on more of the burden, the publication writes.
It is also unclear whether the 2027 deadline reflects the position of the Trump administration or is merely the opinion of some Pentagon officials. There are serious disagreements in Washington regarding the US military role in Europe, the publication notes.
Several European officials said that the 2027 deadline is unrealistic, regardless of how Washington assesses progress, as Europe needs more than just money and political will to replace some American forces and assets in the short term.
Among other problems, NATO allies face delays in the production of military equipment they are trying to acquire. Although US officials urge Europe to buy more American equipment, some of the most valuable American weapons and defense systems will be delivered in several years if ordered today, the publication notes.
The US also provides capabilities that cannot simply be bought, such as unique intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets that have proven key in Ukraine's military operations, the publication notes.
In response to a request for comment, a NATO spokesperson, speaking on behalf of the alliance, said that European allies have begun to take on more responsibility for the continent's security, but did not comment on the 2027 deadline.
"Allies have realized the need to increase defense investment and shift the burden of conventional weapons" from the US to Europe, the official said.
European countries have generally accepted US President Donald Trump's demand to take more responsibility for their own security and have pledged to significantly increase defense spending, the publication indicates.
The European Union has set a goal of making the continent self-sufficient in defense by 2030 and has stated that it must close gaps in its air defense system, drones, cyber warfare capabilities, ammunition, and other areas. Officials and analysts have said that even this deadline is very ambitious.
Washington-NATO relations
The Trump administration has consistently stated the need for European allies to increase their contribution to NATO activities, but the US president's position on NATO is not always clear, the publication writes.
During the 2024 election campaign, Trump often criticized European allies and said he would support Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in invading NATO countries that do not spend a fair share on defense, the publication notes. It adds that at the annual NATO leaders' summit in June, Trump ardently praised European leaders for agreeing to a US plan to increase member states' annual defense spending to 5% of GDP.
In the following months, Trump wavered between a tougher stance on Russia – the bloc's main adversary – and, more recently, a willingness to negotiate with Moscow on the war in Ukraine. European officials complained that they were largely excluded from these negotiations.
During a meeting of NATO foreign ministers this week, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said that NATO allies "obviously" must take responsibility for Europe's defense.
"Successive US administrations have said this in one form or another almost my entire life... but our administration means what it says," Landau wrote on X.