US Urges Europe to increase defense Spending,Sets 2027 Benchmark
Discussions are ongoing between the United States and its NATO allies in Europe regarding the allocation of defense responsibilities.Recent meetings between Pentagon officials and European delegations, as reported by Reuters, have revealed a strong push from Washington for European nations to considerably bolster their defense capabilities.
US officials are calling on NATO member countries to take on a greater share of NATO’s conventional defense capacity, aiming for a significant shift in obligation by 2027. This request stems from a perceived lack of sufficient progress in increasing European defense spending as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to unnamed sources, the US is considering a reduced role in certain NATO defense coordination mechanisms - encompassing areas like intelligence and ballistic missiles – should European partners fail to meet unspecified criteria by the 2027 deadline. Neither the Pentagon nor the White House has officially commented on this potential shift in engagement.
While acknowledging increased investment in defense by European allies, a NATO official stated that the alliance recognizes the need to redistribute the burden of conventional defense away from the United States and towards Europe. However,some European officials have expressed skepticism about the 2027 timeline,describing it as unrealistic.
The situation highlights ongoing tensions regarding defense spending and burden-sharing within the NATO alliance, as the US seeks to encourage greater European self-reliance in security matters.
