U.S. Secretary of Defense says country won’t assure European security alone
(MENAFN) U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has made it clear that the era of America being solely responsible for European security is over. Speaking at the Army War College in Pennsylvania, Hegseth emphasized that European NATO members must boost their defense spending and reduce their reliance on the United States.
Highlighting a new U.S. defense strategy that prioritizes domestic border security, Hegseth said the Pentagon is now pushing for more “burden-sharing” among allies. In his remarks, marking 100 days in office, he pointed to Poland and the Baltic states as examples of responsible partners, noting they’ve committed to spending 5% of their GDP on defense—well above NATO’s current target of 2%, which he said is no longer sufficient given today's security challenges.
“The time of the United States being the sole guarantor of European security has passed,” Hegseth stated. He called on NATO to take greater initiative and leadership in its own defense.
This shift also includes transferring more responsibility for aid to Ukraine onto European shoulders, as the U.S. moves to reorient its global defense priorities. Meanwhile, the European Union is planning to borrow large sums to ramp up military capabilities in response to what it views as a growing threat from Russia—an assertion Moscow denies.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in an interview with Le Point, criticized Europe’s continued alignment with former U.S. President Joe Biden’s policies, especially on Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. Peskov argued that Europe has harmed itself by losing access to affordable American security and cheap Russian energy—two pillars he claims were essential to its economic strength. Now, he says, Europe is facing deindustrialization while clinging to failed strategies.
The Trump administration has taken a more transactional stance with Europe, pressing for fairer trade practices and even reviving disputes such as control over Greenland, straining relations with some European allies as it pushes a different approach to global diplomacy and security.
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