NATO scrambles to reassure Trump it can 'step up' after US defence chief berated 'European freeloading' in leaked text scandal
NATO will 'step up' its contribution to global security, the alliance's head has insisted after American officials branded some member nations as 'pathetic' and 'free-loading'.
Mark Rutte, the Secretary General, told Donald Trump that 'now is not the time to go alone' and that 'Europe needs to know that Uncle Sam still has our back.'
The veteran politician - known as the 'Trump whisperer' in some circles - was speaking after the US President's inner circle privately expressed their 'loathing of European free-loading'.
Vice President JD Vance said he hated 'bailing out Europe again' by launching airstrikes on the Houthi group in Yemen, while Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the continent's behaviour was 'pathetic'.
Rutte's words will be seen as an attempt to calm any tensions between members of the alliance, which includes the UK, US, France, Germany and Canada.
Speaking at the Warsaw School of Economics, he said: 'This is not the time to go it alone, not for Europe or North America.
'The global security challenges are too great for any of us to face on our own.
'When it comes to keeping Europe and North America safe, there is no alternative to NATO.'
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a meeting with Donald Trump earlier this month
US Vice President JD Vance said he hated 'bailing out Europe again' in leaked messages
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Europe's efforts were 'pathetic'
Last week Trump admitted NATO was 'solid' and 'strong' but demanded they 'treat us fairly'.
He has previously hinted that the US might abandon its commitment to the alliance, which was formed in 1949 to counter the Soviet Union, even if a member state was attacked.
The first months of his second term as President has seen him ramp up pressure on NATO to increase defence spending as a share of GDP to five per cent, despite all member nations, including the US, sitting far below that level.
However, his rhetoric has sparked a rethink for many governments around defensive self-sufficency, with EU leaders agreeing to jointly borrow €150billion - around £125billion - to lend to individual states for military expenditure.
Officials have also proposed loosening European fiscal rules so that individuals nations can spend more on defence.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey told Times Radio yesterday that the US had 'absolutely got a case' when it came to Europe failing to invest enough in its defence.
Rutte also appeared to concede on the issue yesterday, saying that the US commitment to NATO came with a 'clear expectation' that Europe and Canada 'take more responsibility for our shared security'.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (R)
Rutte said: 'This is not the time to go it alone, not for Europe or North America'
Rutte is known as the 'Trump whisperer' in some circles
Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said he was told by the alliance head that the US would 'always be ready to defend Poland and other Nato countries in a situation of threat'.
Speaking alongside Rutte, he added: 'This stable confirmation that Nato is committed to defending Poland in every critical situation is very, very important to us here and I thank you once again for confirming this principle.'
In the UK, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced plans to hike defence spending to from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027.
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard yesterday claimed that the Labour government were leading the way in responding to Trump's call.
'President Trump has challenged Europe to step up on defence. It's something that countries like the UK have been arguing for some time,' he told GB News.
'We are seeing European countries increasing their defence spending [and] coming together as part of the UK-led coalition of the willing effort to support our friends in Ukraine.'
Earlier today Starmer and Rutte met in Paris to emphasise the UK's 'unwavering commitment to NATO as the cornerstone of our security'.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: 'They discussed their enduring support for Ukraine, agreeing that Europe must do everything possible to keep them in the fight and keep up the pressure on Putin.
'Both acknowledged the vital role of the United States in forging a path towards a ceasefire agreement, and reiterated that Europe stands ready to support a durable and lasting peace when it comes.'
Not all European leaders are on board with the Trump administration's rhetoric, however.
Soldiers train as part of the new NATO Allied Reaction Force (ARF)
British soldiers practice retreat under fire during an exercise in Romania
Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani suggested Vance's comments showed that he 'doesn't know the background' around military operations in the region
Vance and Hegseth's leaked comments sparked fury amongst some officials on the continent.
One UK defence source told The Times that neither Britain nor other European countries had asked the US to hit Houthi targets in Yemen.
'It's sobering to see the way they speak about Europe when they think no one is listening,' a European diplomat told Politico.
Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani suggested Vance's comments showed that he 'doesn't know the background' around military operations in the region and was still new to the role.
