The United States has told European allies it expects them to take over most of NATO’s conventional defense capabilities by 2027. According to sources, Pentagon officials warned that if Europe falls short, Washington may scale back participation in some NATO coordination efforts.
The message was delivered at a Washington meeting this week with Pentagon staff and European delegations. Shifting this burden to Europe would mark a significant change in U.S. engagement with its key military partners.
European diplomats say the deadline is unrealistic, noting that replacing U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and military production capacity cannot be achieved quickly. NATO allies also face delays in acquiring critical equipment, even if they buy more American systems.
While European nations have increased defense spending since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, major gaps remain in air defense, drones, and munitions. The EU aims for full defense readiness by 2030, a target analysts consider ambitious.
A NATO spokesperson said European allies have begun assuming more responsibility for the continent’s security but did not comment on the 2027 deadline.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau emphasized this week that NATO allies “obviously” must take responsibility for Europe’s defence.
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