US NATO allies focus on Europe as Trump administration steps back

Brussels — European allies in NATO on Thursday shrugged off concerns that the United States was retreating from its leadership role as the world’s largest country Security organizationLeaving them and Canada to do the lion’s share in defending Europe.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not attend the defense ministers’ meeting on Thursday at NATO headquarters in Brussels. His non-attendance came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio Skip the last meeting NATO foreign ministers in December.

It is rare for members of the US administration to be absent from a meeting of the organization’s highest decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, at the ministerial level, let alone two consecutive meetings. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby was sent in to replace Hegseth.

“It is sad for him that he is missing a good party,” Icelandic Foreign Minister Örgyur Kártin Gunnarsdóttir told reporters. “Of course, it’s always better for ministers to be here, but I wouldn’t call that a bad sign.”

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said: “I am not disappointed.” “Each of us has a complete agenda. One time the US Secretary of Defense is here, one time he is not, so it is his decision and his duties that he has to fulfill.”

When asked what NATO’s purpose was in its early days in 1949, NATO’s first Secretary General, British general and diplomat Lord Hastings Ismay, replied: “To keep the Americans in, the Russians out, and the Germans down.”

Today, Germany is ahead. After Russia invaded Ukraine four years ago, it pledged to spend 100 billion euros ($118 billion) To update its armed forces in the coming years.

A big part of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s job is to keep Americans inside.

“They have to take care of the whole world. This is the United States,” Rutte told reporters before chairing the meeting. “I completely accept that and agree with it.”

He added: “They have always called on Europe to do more, and for Canada to do more and pay more attention to defending NATO territory, in cooperation with the United States of course.”

This means more European spending on conventional arms and defence, while the United States ensures NATO’s nuclear deterrent.

But doubts remain, and surprises from the Trump administration cannot be ruled out. The Allies are still wondering whether this is possible More American troops It will be withdrawn from Europe.

Dutch Defense Minister Robin Brekelmans said: “What is most important to me is the no-surprise policy that was agreed upon between the Secretary General of NATO and the United States.”

Publicly at least, the Trump administration is doing much less for NATO. A year ago, Hegseth warned that America Security priorities Elsewhere, Europe must look out for itself, and for Ukraine in its fight against an all-out Russian invasion.

US arms supplies and money sent to Ukraine by the previous administration of President Joe Biden have dried up under Trump. European allies and Canada are obligated to do so Buy weapons From the United States to donate now.

Ukraine’s Western backers are also meeting at NATO on Thursday to muster more military support. It is a plan that the Pentagon proudly supported under Biden Ukrainian Defense Contact Group It is now chaired by the United Kingdom and Germany.

British Defense Secretary John Healey announced that Britain would provide “an additional half a billion pounds ($682 million) in urgent air defense for Ukraine. This means Britain is a force for good in the world, building a new deal for European security within NATO.”

Sweden also intends to finance the purchase of more American weapons. The Netherlands will send more flight simulators to help Ukrainian fighter pilots train to fly F-16s.

The only “outcome” from Thursday’s meeting was the announcement of the launch of NATO Arctic SentinelIts response to American security concerns in the Far North, and its attempt to dissuade Trump from attempting to seize Greenland.

They are ostensibly aimed at countering Russian and Chinese activities or influence in the Arctic region.

But Arctic Sentry is essentially a rebranding exercise. National exercises already underway in the region, such as those run by Denmark and Norway, will be placed under NATO’s umbrella and supervised by the organization’s military commander.

It is not a long-term NATO operation or mission.

Denmark, France and Germany will participate in “military activities” taking place within the framework of Arctic Sentry, but they are not mentioned in what way. Finland and Sweden are likely to participate. Belgium is studying what role it can play.

It remains unclear what role, if any, the United States will play.

“It couldn’t be more from the United States alone,” US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said ahead of Thursday’s meeting. “We need competent, prepared and strong allies who can provide assets to all these areas of our collective security.”

Trump Renewed threats Last month, the annexation of Greenland — a semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark — severely shook the rest of the alliance. NATO’s primary role is to defend, not undermine, the territory of its 32 member states.

European allies and Canada hope that Arctic Sentry and ongoing talks between the Trump administration and Denmark and Greenland will allow NATO to move beyond the dispute and focus on Europe’s true security priority. Russia’s war On Ukraine.

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said security arrangements in the Arctic at least meant “we stop fighting some food battles over the Atlantic.”

“I think the Greenland saga was not the best moment for NATO (over) the last 76 years,” he told reporters. “It was a crisis that was not needed.”