NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte issued a warning that was
as direct as it was uncomfortable for European capitals: the continent is not
in a position to guarantee its own defense without the military backing of the
United States. Addressing those who insist on the idea of European “strategic
autonomy,” the head of the Atlantic Alliance was unequivocal: “If anyone
believes that Europe can defend itself alone, let them keep dreaming. It
cannot.”
These statements come at a time when several European
governments are discussing the need to reduce their dependence on Washington
and build a truly independent military capability. However, Rutte reiterated
that the continent’s security architecture continues to rely heavily on
American power, from logistics and intelligence to the central role of the
nuclear umbrella provided by the United States.
According to the NATO chief, turning that aspiration for
independence into a reality would require years of massive investment, a
drastic increase in military spending, and a profound transformation of
European armed forces—something that today seems neither politically simple nor
economically viable. In other words, the gap between rhetoric and actual
capabilities remains enormous.
Rutte also warned that weakening the transatlantic bond
would not strengthen Europe, but rather send a signal of fragility to its
strategic adversaries, in an international context marked by rising tensions
and open conflicts on the borders of the European space.
With his intervention, the Secretary General not only placed
limits on the continent's ambitions for military independence, but also
reaffirmed an uncomfortable reality: for now, European security remains
unthinkable without the political and military muscle of the United States.