NATO chief calls for more defense spending from Europe and Canada

For decades, the U.S. has played a leading security role both in Europe and for Europe. But President Trump has called that role into question and dialed back America’s involvement in many international conflicts.

Trump is particularly aggravated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO — the world’s biggest military alliance, which comprises 32 countries in Europe and North America.

The president has expressed frustration that Europe has not contributed enough monetarily to its own defense.

Speaking with Morning Edition on Friday while visiting Washington for meetings with Trump and other top officials, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he agreed with the president’s assessment of Europe and Canada’s financial contributions to NATO.

“Rightly, the U.S. has complained. Particularly, President Trump has been very clear on this — that he expects Europeans and Canada to pay more, to step up in terms of their overall defense spending, and that is going to happen,” Rutte said.

NPR’s Michel Martin spoke to Rutte about how his talks with U.S. officials were going and NATO’s upcoming Hague summit.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. 

Interview highlights

Michel Martin: How are your meetings going so far?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: We discussed Ukraine first. I think we can all be very happy for the fact that President Trump broke the deadlock and started the talks. Obviously, it is the U.S. — and its leadership and Trump’s leadership — which we need to hear to bring this to a good end, including help from the Secretaries [Pete] Hegseth, [Marco] Rubio and Security Adviser [Michael] Waltz. We discussed the state of play on that. I think they are really making progress and the ball is now clearly in Russia’s court. So, they need to now make a proposal, or at least react to what is on the table. We also discussed the upcoming NATO summit, which I believe we have every reason to think will be very successful. So much more defense spending, particularly on the European and Canadian side, which is necessary, but also ramping up defense industrial production.

Martin: As you just mentioned, in a couple of months, you’re going to chair a summit of NATO nations in the Netherlands. You said you believe it will be successful. What does success look like?

Rutte: For two reasons I think it’ll be successful. First of all, I believe who will decide that the European side of NATO and the Canadian side of NATO will ramp up spending, which is crucial because of the Russian threat, and because of the Chinese buildup of its military. Also, it is fair to spend more on that side of NATO because it equalizes with what the U.S. is spending. Rightly, the U.S. has complained. Particularly, President Trump has been very clear on this, that he expects Europeans and Canada to pay more, to step up in terms of their overall defense spending, and that is going to happen. Then there is an issue around the whole of NATO, including the U.S., that we do not produce enough in terms of defense industrial products, ammunition, Navy ships, tanks, fighter jets, long range missiles, air defenses and what have you. We will take decisions in June to make sure that we will stay ahead of the Russians and the Chinese. That is important, too, to keep ourselves safe.

Martin: Turning to some specific conflicts, there are European leaders, both publicly and privately, that have expressed some shock at what seems to be an American tilt toward Russia in these negotiations over the war in Ukraine. They seem to be pressing Ukraine to make concessions, even as the U.S. in the current administration doesn’t seem to be pressing Russia as hard. Is that your view as well?

Rutte: It is not, no. I think the U.S. and President Trump’s team and he himself really tried to, in an even-handed way, bring this whole process forward. That will mean compromises on all sides. What we have seen last [in] the attack on Kiev, a residential area, people just going about their lives, [was] 12 people killed because of an indiscriminate attack by the Russians. Also, I was in Odessa the other week with President Zelenskyy and I’ve seen the devastation there when attacks take place and these missiles come in this beautiful, beautiful city. This is not a sign of strength by the Russians. If they really are winning this, they would not do this.

Martin: Ukraine’s desire to seek NATO’s membership is a part of these discussions. Is that officially off the table now, to your understanding, or is that still part of the discussion?

Rutte: No, there is a clear statement by NATO that there is an irreversible path for Ukraine into NATO, but we always knew that there are very different views among allies. NATO is very much involved in building up the Ukrainian armed forces and helping with making sure that all the support for Ukraine military support for Ukraine is well coordinated. When it comes to full NATO membership, we never promised Ukraine that will be part of a peace deal.

Martin: Defense Secretary Hagel back in February warned that the U.S. is increasingly focused on Asia and its own borders for security. Did you walk away from this meeting feeling confident that the United States is still committed to NATO even if it reorders its priorities?

Rutte: 100% on both issues: the membership of NATO, and a total commitment to Article 5. Four weeks ago I was also visiting President Trump in the White House and he was very clear on this. Obviously, the U.S. has to take care of more issues than only Europe and the Euro-Atlantic. There’s also the Middle East. There’s also the Pacific. So, whilst the Europeans are stepping up, spending more, making sure that we can deliver more of the overall capabilities we need to deliver as NATO as a whole, it’s only logical for the U.S. to pivot more towards Asia. I’m absolutely convinced we will do this in a step by step approach, but it’s only logical. Everybody understands that.

Edited for radio by Olivia Hampton and for digital by Treye Green.