Rutte says Europe cannot defend itself without U.S. support

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that Europe cannot defend itself alone without the United States, dismissing calls for a separate European defence force and stressing that transatlantic cooperation remains essential for the continent’s security.

Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels, Rutte said: "If anyone thinks that Europe can defend itself without the U.S., keep on dreaming. You can't. We can't. We need each other."

Rutte said European countries should increase defence spending and take more responsibility for their own security, but within NATO rather than outside it.

"If you really want to go it alone, you can never get there with 5%. It will be 10%," he said, referring to defence spending as a share of GDP.

"You would have to build your own nuclear capability, which costs billions and billions of euros. You would lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, which is the U.S. nuclear umbrella," he added.

He warned that setting up a European force separate from NATO would weaken existing militaries. "It will make things more complicated. Putin would love it. So think again," Rutte said.

Greenland and Arctic security

Rutte said he and Donald Trump had agreed on two "workstreams" to address tensions linked to Greenland. One workstream will see NATO take a more active role in assessing how the alliance can collectively prevent Russia and China from increasing their presence in the Arctic.

The second workstream involves discussions between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. "It is up to the Danes, Greenland and the U.S. to do that. I have no mandate to negotiate on behalf of Denmark, so I didn't and I will not," Rutte said. He also stressed that there is no link between discussions on Ukraine and the Greenland issue.

Ukraine support

Rutte said Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian missiles and drones has declined because it has fewer interceptors, and urged allies to dig into their stockpiles to provide more air defence systems. He said Europe’s defence industry is expanding but cannot yet meet Ukraine’s immediate needs.

"Europe is now building its defence industry, and that is vital, but it cannot at the moment provide nearly enough of what Ukraine needs to defend itself today and to deter tomorrow," he said.

Rutte also highlighted the continued importance of U.S. military assistance, noting that large quantities of American weapons and equipment are already flowing into Ukraine.

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