NATO and US Cooperation
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the need to maintain defense cooperation between the European Union and the United States, despite changes in the policy of President Donald Trump’s administration. According to him, in today's conditions, it is important for NATO allies to continue working together to ensure security in the region.
Rutte noted that the US expects greater responsibility from its European allies in the field of security. This underscores the importance of active involvement of EU countries in defense initiatives and joint efforts to ensure stability. He also stated that the US fully supports NATO, assuring that there are no doubts about this.
Defense Spending and NATO Summit
An important aspect of the discussion was the issue of increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. This initiative aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Alliance member countries. Key Alliance members, such as the United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada, are also participating in these efforts, striving to achieve common security goals.
The NATO summit, which will take place in The Hague in the summer of 2023, will be an important platform for discussing these issues and shaping further steps to strengthen cooperation between the EU and the US in the defense sector.
Rutte's statement underscores the relevance and necessity of activating defense cooperation between the US and the EU in the context of global challenges faced by Alliance countries.
Increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 indicates a serious commitment to ensuring collective security and the readiness of NATO members to implement joint defense strategies. The summit in The Hague could be an important step towards strengthening ties between allies, which is especially vital in the context of growing geopolitical tensions.