Europe will never be able to do without the United States. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in an interview with the Dutch daily Het Financieele Dagblad, a position he reiterated today during a hearing before the European Parliament’s SEDE and AFET committees. “As far as I am concerned, never. History has bound us together. The American nuclear umbrella is our ultimate security guarantee,” he adds.
Responding to the NATO Secretary General’s strong but straightforward statement was former European Council President, Belgian Charles Michel. “Dear Mark Rutte, you are wrong: Europe will defend itself. And Donald Trump is not my father. Europe’s future requires vision, courage and leadership. Not resignation, submission and fatalism,” Michel wrote on his X profile.
Repeat after me: the EU must move fast
Mr Rutte reminded the MEPs attending the hearing that, during the most recent NATO summit in The Hague, Allies agreed to invest 5 per cent of GDP annually until 2035 in order to accelerate production and innovation in the defence industry. “My message is simple: we have to do it, and we have to do it quickly,” he stressed.
“The time when the United States carried the burden of security is over, so the time has come for Europe to take responsibility for its own defence and security which it is already doing,” the Secretary General continued. Any initiative aimed at strengthening the defence and security framework is “an absolute priority” as allies prepare for the next summit in Ankara in July. While “NATO is essential for military strength and capabilities, for command and control,” the European Union “must instead build the industrial base, secure funding, ensure resilience and take care of the regulatory framework,” Me Rutte insisted, urging MEPs to act. The EU must also “deregulate and that is what is being done,” he said, stressing the importance of a clear division of labour that makes the bloc “collectively stronger.”
EU and NATO must ensure Putin can never attack Ukraine again
Mr Rutte also referred to ongoing efforts by US allies on Ukrainian soil. President Trump, Marco Rubio, Witkoff and Kushner “are conducting the talks for peace in Ukraine, while the Coalition of the Willing is working on security guarantees after a ceasefire. We must be certain that Putin, after a potential peace agreement or a ceasefire, can never attack Ukraine again.” He added that talks are also under way to determine how to support the country’s future prosperity.
Europe, according to the NATO Secretary General, is building up its own defence industry – a vital step – but at present it cannot come anywhere close to providing everything Ukraine needs to defend itself today and deter aggression tomorrow. US military support therefore remains indispensable: “Without this flow of weapons from the United States, we cannot keep Ukraine able to fight. Literally”. Mr Rutte also stressed the importance of the €90bn loan package: “It will make a major difference to Ukraine’s security and prosperity, but I would strongly urge flexibility in how these funds can be spent.”
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Regarding NATO membership and the pathway to follow by Ukraine, Rutte was clear: Ukraine “would like to become a member of the Alliance, but many countries are blocking it. Therefore, this option is not on the table.”
China and Russia: enemies of Greenland?
On Mr Trump’s actions regarding Greenland, Rutte spoke in a guarded tone, effectively “defending” the US president. “NATO must take on greater responsibility in the defence of the Arctic,” he said, acting collectively “to prevent Russia and China from gaining greater access” to the region. There is a problem, according to the NATO head: one of collective security, “because these maritime routes are opening up and because Chinese and Russian activity is increasing.” In this way, Mark Rutte sided with US President Donald Trump on the strategic importance of Arctic security, without condemning Washington’s rhetoric or geopolitical plans.
