BRUSSELS (AP) — A single address by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week has disrupted the prominent NATO alliance, casting doubt on America’s dedication to European security. Hegseth delivered a speech to nearly 50 Western supporters of Ukraine, bluntly stating that the United States is shifting its focus away from Europe due to pressing security concerns at home. He emphasized that the U.S. cannot primarily prioritize European security, citing domestic threats that demand attention.
In a stern message to U.S. allies, Hegseth declared that Ukraine should not expect to regain all its territory from Russia and will not be permitted to join NATO. He made it clear that NATO will not participate in any potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, with European nations bearing the financial burden. Hegseth stressed that American troops will not be involved in such operations. Furthermore, he asserted that NATO will not intervene if a European nation engaged in the mission is attacked by Russia, raising uncertainty about the U.S.’s role in such scenarios. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu characterized this as a critical juncture for NATO, questioning its future strength.
Established in 1949 to counter Soviet threats during the Cold War, NATO has expanded to encompass 32 countries, with Sweden joining last year in response to heightened Russian aggression. Central to NATO is Article 5, a mutual defense commitment among member nations. Hegseth’s remarks have cast doubt on the U.S.’s adherence to this core principle, although he clarified that the U.S. does not intend to withdraw from the alliance. NATO operates on consensus decision-making and allows entry to European countries meeting its standards, but Hegseth dismissed Ukraine’s bid for membership.
Led by former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, NATO’s daily functions are overseen by Rutte, who convenes regular meetings of ambassadors and heads of state. As the most influential member, the U.S. wields considerable power within NATO, as emphasized by Hegseth’s recent address outlining the alliance’s evolving priorities.
Consensus and speaks on behalf of all 32 members. NATO’s military headquarters is based nearby in Mons, Belgium. It is always run by a top U.S. officer. The current supreme allied commander Europe is Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli. What is NATO doing to help Ukraine? Even though most allies believe that Russia could pose an existential threat to Europe, NATO itself is not arming Ukraine. As an organization, NATO possesses no weapons of any kind. Collectively, the alliance provides only non-lethal support — fuel, combat rations, medical supplies, and body armor, as well as equipment to counter drones or mines. But members do send arms on their own or in groups. European allies provided 60% of the military support that Ukraine received in 2024. NATO has also helped Ukraine’s armed forces shift from Soviet-era military doctrine to modern thinking and has strengthened Ukraine’s defense and security institutions. Much of what NATO does for Ukraine, and indeed for global security, is misunderstood. Often the alliance is thought of as the sum of all U.S. relations with its European partners, from imposing sanctions and other costs on Russia to sending arms and ammunition. But as an organization, its brief is limited to the defense by military means of its 32 member countries — the sacred Three Musketeers-like vow of all for one, one for all — and a commitment to help keep the peace in Europe and North America. At least that was the case until this week. Why has NATO stationed more troops on its European borders? While some allies have left open the possibility of sending military personnel to Ukraine, NATO itself has no plans to do this, and Hegseth ended any speculation over whether it might. But a key part of the commitment for allies to defend one another is to deter Russia, or any other adversary, from launching an attack in the first place. Finland and Sweden joined NATO recently because of this concern. With the war in Ukraine soon to enter its fourth year, NATO has 500,000 military personnel on high readiness to counter any attack, whether it be on land, at sea, by air, or in cyberspace. Isn’t the U.S. doing the heavy lifting? Due to high U.S. defense spending over many years, America’s armed forces benefit not only from greater troop numbers and superior weapons but also from significant transport and logistics assets. Other allies are starting to spend more, though. After years of cuts, NATO members committed to ramp up their national defense budgets in 2014 when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. The aim was for each ally to be spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense within a decade. In 2023, they agreed to make 2% a spending floor, rather than a ceiling. A record 23 countries were expected to reach that spending target last year, up from only three a decade ago. But Rutte has said they will need to raise that to 3
