NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Friday the alliance is on a stronger path while gradually reducing reliance on a single ally as foreign ministers gathered for a summit in Sweden.
“The trajectory we are on, which is a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO, making sure we will over time, step by step, be less reliant on one ally only, as we have been for so long,” Rutte told reporters ahead of the meeting.
Rutte said the shift would give the US greater room to focus on other priorities as European allies increase defence spending.
“This is necessary not only to equalise what you’re spending with the United States, but also to make sure that we have what we need to defend against our adversaries,” he added.
The NATO chief also underscored that the US would continue to play a key role in Europe in both nuclear and conventional defence while Europeans assume greater responsibility.
“Europeans have heard the message when it comes to European bases. These are bilateral commitments by European countries with United States, so that the United States can use these bilateral commitments for operations they have elsewhere in the world,” he said.
