NATO chief: If Europe thinks it can defend itself without the US, it should ‘keep dreaming’

The NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has warned that Europe cannot ensure its own security without the support of the United States.

Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels, Mr Rutte said any belief that Europe or the European Union could defend itself independently of Washington was unrealistic.

“If anyone thinks that Europe, whether through NATO or the European Union, can guarantee its own defence without the United States, they should keep dreaming. It is not possible. We cannot do it,” he said. “We complement each other and we need that.”

Mr Rutte added that if European countries truly sought full strategic autonomy, they would need to raise defence spending dramatically to around 10 percent of GDP and develop their own nuclear capabilities.

Such steps, he said, would cost hundreds of billions of euros and take many years to implement.

The NATO chief stressed that the United States remains the backbone of Europe’s collective defence and that transatlantic cooperation continues to be essential amid growing security challenges.

His remarks come as European governments debate higher military spending and the future role of the US in European security.