NATO countries must avoid becoming overly reliant on the United States, warned US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday in Brussels, during a meeting of NATO Defence Ministers.
"Our message remains clear: deterrence and peace through strength, without dependence. We cannot and will not depend on America in a world full of threats," Hegseth asserted.
Hegseth emphasised President Donald Trump’s desire for each NATO member to dedicate at least 5% of their GDP to defence. "Considering today’s global threats, a 5% commitment is essential," he stated.
He also expressed optimism that this target would be achieved by the NATO summit in The Hague later this month.
To ensure the summit’s success, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggested a comprehensive 5% spending goal, combining two categories of expenditure.
He proposed increasing military spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2032, and boosting spending on broader security measures, such as border protection, military mobility, and cybersecurity, to 1.5% of GDP.
Hegseth’s notable absence from Wednesday’s Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) meeting sparked discussions about Washington’s stance on Ukraine.
However, Secretary General Mark Rutte downplayed the concerns, indicating that the location of the meetings in Europe might explain the US Defence Secretary’s absence.
