US prepares major reduction of NATO forces, Europe faces defense shift
The United States is planning to drastically reduce its military contribution to NATO and shift a significant part of Europe’s defense responsibilities to European allies, Spiegel reports.
According to the outlet, at the end of last week, a representative of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a closed briefing for senior NATO officials at the Alliance’s headquarters.
During the meeting, the American side announced plans to sharply reduce part of its military resources within the NATO force model created after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The reductions concern fighter jets, strategic bombers, warships, submarines, drones, and aerial refueling aircraft.
According to Spiegel, the US plans to reduce its contribution of fighter jets by roughly one-third, as well as significantly cut the number of strategic bombers within the Alliance system. In addition, Washington no longer wants to provide submarines to NATO, and its involvement in supplying destroyers and drones is also expected to be reduced.
Europe is not ready to quickly replace the US
In Brussels, the plans came as an unpleasant surprise. European diplomats had expected only gradual adjustments to the US role, but the scale of the changes turned out to be much larger.
Particular concern is caused by the fact that Europe is currently unable to quickly replace some of the American capabilities.
Fighter jet gaps could potentially be covered through ongoing deliveries of F-35 aircraft to NATO partners. Germany’s Bundeswehr is set to receive its first jets from the US next year, while Poland has just received its first three F-35s.
However, European countries do not have strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It will also be difficult to quickly replace US aircraft carriers, which had been part of NATO’s force model in case of a major crisis.
Washington shifts Europe’s defense burden to allies
At the same time, the US has made it clear to allies that it is not abandoning nuclear deterrence in Europe. However, Washington increasingly wants European countries to take over conventional defense of the continent.
According to the report, the American side directly urged allies to close future capability gaps as quickly as possible using their own resources.
Some participants in the closed meeting interpreted these signals as an indirect warning.
The US, meanwhile, explains its moves by citing a shifting global security situation. Washington believes Europe has already significantly increased defense spending and is now capable of taking on more responsibility.
NATO speaks of a turning point
Spiegel writes that the Trump administration has been promoting the concept of a so-called NATO 3.0 for several months. Its core idea is that European allies should take over almost all conventional defense of the continent as quickly as possible.
Within NATO, these changes are already being described as a potential turning point for the Alliance.
According to the outlet, by early June, European countries are expected to prepare concrete proposals on who will compensate for the reduction in US participation and how.
Washington aims to present a new burden-sharing system at the NATO summit in Ankara in July.
Amid discussions in Europe about the future US role in NATO and the need to strengthen its own defense, allies are responding with rising concern to contradictory signals from Washington.
At the GLOBSEC forum in Prague, European leaders discussed NATO’s future. One of the key topics was Europe’s readiness to ensure its own defense independently and reduce reliance on US military support.
