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NATO chief Mark Rutte: Anyone who believes Europe can defend itself without the US is dreaming...
2026-01-26 23:41:35 / BOTA
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said anyone who believes Europe can defend itself without the United States is “living under illusions.” The statement was made on Monday (26 January) during a speech to the European Parliament’s Security, Defence and Foreign Affairs Commissioners, just hours after his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
"The US needs NATO, just as Canada and the European allies need NATO," Rutte stressed, adding that Washington considers the Alliance a key pillar for the stability and security of the North Atlantic, as well as for guaranteeing security in the Arctic region.
Rutte warned that, if Europe were to try to fully take charge of its own defense without US support, defense spending would have to increase significantly, reaching up to 10% of European countries' Gross Domestic Product.
Referring to the war in Ukraine, he said that the 90 billion euro loan package approved by EU countries "will make a big difference in both the security and well-being of Ukraine."
However, Rutte called on the European Union to show flexibility in the use of these funds and to avoid excessive restrictions, especially regarding purchases only within the EU. According to him, the priority should be Ukraine's real needs in the field of defense.
“Europe is building its defense industry and that is essential, but it currently cannot provide the necessary amount of equipment that Ukraine needs to defend itself today,” Rutte said. He added that Ukraine’s defense industry is “very strong,” but without arms supplies from the United States, the country cannot stay on the front lines.
As talks on a peace agreement continue, the NATO Secretary General stressed that military support for Ukraine has not been interrupted, including through the PURL initiative. He recalled that for 2026, Ukraine's military needs from international donors are estimated at over $60 billion, while the PURL initiative remains one of the main mechanisms for covering these needs.
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