Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, states that the EU should not completely detach itself from the USA in the field of defense and emphasizes the importance of collaboration.

Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, stated that the European Union should not become completely independent from the United States in the field of defense, even in the context of the current administration's policies under Trump. Rutte emphasized that Washington expects European states to take on more responsibilities and to increase defense spending. He mentioned that although Europe needs to strengthen its capabilities, this should be done in collaboration with the U.S., not separately.

Rutte highlighted the commitments made at the NATO summit in June, where allies agreed to increase defense budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035. While he appreciated Manfred Weber's proposal to transform the EU into a 'European NATO', Rutte emphasized that there is more than just the EU within NATO, noting that the majority of the alliance's economy comes from outside the Union.