NATO has no contingency plans without US, - Politico
Donald Trump's statements about the weakness of the EU are forcing European leaders to consider a scenario in which the United States will not be the main guarantor of NATO's security.
This is reported by Politico, according to Censor.NET.
An official from the Ministry of Defense of one of the European countries said that negotiations with US officials on Article 5 of NATO were "uncomfortable," as were negotiations on security guarantees for Ukraine.
The "uncertainty" about how the US would respond in the event of an attack on a frontline state is "simply too high," the official said.
Europe recognizes that the question is no longer whether Europe will have to take on the primary role in its own defense, but when this will happen.
Therefore, the EU plans to consider the possibility of invoking the legal basis of Article 42.7 on mutual defense and to clarify the mechanisms for its application.
One of the Alliance's diplomats believes that, given that the US is NATO's largest partner, the Alliance is not the place where allies can plan for any post-American future.
"It would destroy the very purpose of NATO," he added.
Interlocutors say that within the Alliance, there are no contingency plans for NATO without the US.
"They interpret Washington's signals not as a prelude to the US leaving the Alliance, but as a powerful wake-up call for Europe, as Washington refocuses on the Arctic and Indo-Pacific regions," Politico writes.
What preceded it?
- The White House recently unveiled a new strategy for US national security. In particular, it states that the European continent is facing "civilizational destruction" due to decades of economic decline, as well as political and cultural failures. The updated strategy highlights the ideological gap that has opened up between Washington and its traditional allies.
- The head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, commented on the updated US National Security Strategy, which criticizes Europe. She noted that despite the ideological divide, the US remains a key ally of Europe.
- The European Commission, in turn, emphasized that decisions concerning the European Union are made by the European Union.
The US withdrawal from NATO
Earlier, Republican Congressman Massie introduced a bill on the withdrawal of the United States from NATO.
