NATO Secretary General: Spending 2% of GDP is not enough to ensure security.

Additionally, according to NATO's Secretary General, EU countries will not be able to defend themselves without the involvement of the United States. Rutte expressed confidence that the trade tensions between the US and Canada will not impact collective defense.

Rutte cited the war between Russia and Ukraine as an example, stating that it is not merely a conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, but a "geopolitical issue." He emphasized that the EU and the US are capable of jointly defending their shared territory.

Furthermore, Rutte pointed out that the US faces threats from North Korea due to Pyongyang's ballistic missile development.

Also present at the meeting was UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He stressed that London does not choose between the US and the EU in matters of defense.

Earlier, leaders from several EU countries, which also belong to NATO, expressed their readiness to continue increasing defense spending — a key demand from US President Donald Trump. However, it remains unclear how the increase in defense budgets will be financed, considering the economic challenges many European countries are currently facing.

Several nations are firmly opposed to rising debt at the European level. Some leaders have stated that one should not expect Europe to be able to defend itself without the US.

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