U.S. military commitments to NATO face major cuts
The United States plans to significantly reduce its military contributions to NATO, cutting back on both personnel and equipment. Washington intends to decrease the number of fighter jets, naval vessels, drones, refueling aircraft, and strategic bombers. However, the U.S. aims to maintain its nuclear deterrence posture in Europe while shifting the burden of conventional defense onto European allies. Notably, the U.S. will no longer provide submarines to NATO, urging European nations to fill the resulting gaps.
Under the previous arrangement, the United States supplied roughly half of NATO's military capabilities. Last Friday, Alex Velez-Green, an advisor to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, presented the figures to political directors of NATO member states. Beyond reducing fighter jets by a third, the U.S. plans to provide significantly fewer strategic bombers and cut the number of destroyers. European allies will also be expected to independently supply drones for reconnaissance missions.
What Washington expects from European partners
Washington expects concrete actions from European allies before the June force-building conference.
“Allies are being called upon to fill emerging gaps as quickly as possible,”Velez-Green stated. He also emphasized that
“reducing American capabilities is both realistic and responsible, since many European nations are investing more in defense and can do more.”
A spokesperson for NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted that past force planning had relied excessively on the United States. Now, with increased defense investments from Europe and Canada, 'the burden of responsibility can be shifted.' Washington plans to present the new allocation of military commitments at the NATO summit in Ankara this July.
Additionally, a number of countries—including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada—did not support the proposal to allocate 0.25% of GDP annually for military aid to Ukraine. This issue remains unresolved and continues to fuel debate among Alliance members.
The reduction of U.S. military commitments within NATO signals a fundamental shift in Washington's approach to collective security in Europe. With European defense spending on the rise, the United States seeks to reduce its own military burden and push allies to take on greater responsibility. This also raises questions about NATO's ability to respond to potential regional threats if European nations cannot quickly adapt their armed forces to meet new demands. The importance of this process underscores the need for cooperation among Alliance members to ensure stability in Europe.
The recent announcement from Washington regarding its NATO military presence echoes previous decisions, such as when Trump aimed to reduce troop levels in Europe after withdrawing thousands from Germany. This shift underscores a broader strategy to encourage European nations to enhance their defense capabilities and assume greater responsibility for regional security.