Jean-Noël Barrot, the French foreign minister, states that Europeans "can and must take responsibility for their own defense," contradicting the statements of the NATO Secretary General.

Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, responded critically to the statements of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who claimed that Europe cannot defend itself without the help of the United States. Barrot stated that Europeans "can and must" take responsibility for their own security, emphasizing that this is also desired by the United States. In a post on X, he reiterated the idea that there is a "European pillar of NATO." Rutte, during a session at the European Parliament, explained that a Europe that wishes to defend itself would require significant investments and would lose the protection offered by the American nuclear umbrella, warning about the high costs involved.