NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said European countries currently lack the military capabilities needed to carry out an operation comparable to the recent US strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Speaking at the Euronews Defence & Space Summit in Brussels, Rutte said the United States had been the only country capable of significantly degrading Iran’s nuclear capabilities through the military operation.
“Why are the Americans doing it, taking out the Iranian nuclear capability? Because we can’t,” Rutte said.
He argued that Europe should significantly strengthen its defence capabilities so that European countries can assume greater responsibility for the security of the continent and, in the future, have the ability to conduct such operations independently if necessary.
Rutte calls for a stronger European defence role
Rutte said the United States should remain involved in Europe’s defence, both through its nuclear deterrence and conventional military capabilities, but stressed that European allies must take on a much greater share of the responsibility.
“It should not be the Americans doing it. It should be us doing it,” he said, referring to Europe’s long-term ability to respond to threats in its wider neighbourhood.
He also argued that Europe’s growing defence spending should eventually translate into greater military capabilities. NATO allies have committed to substantially increasing defence investment, with Rutte saying this should enable Europe to become more capable of protecting its own neighbourhood while remaining within a strong transatlantic alliance.
Rutte has previously said NATO should become less dependent on US capabilities while maintaining the transatlantic relationship. In July, he said that “to stay transatlantic, we have to become more European,” arguing for a stronger European pillar within NATO.
US role remains important
Despite his call for greater European military autonomy, Rutte stressed that the United States should continue to play a significant role in European security.
He said the US should remain involved not only through its nuclear umbrella but also through conventional military capabilities, while European allies gradually assume more responsibility for defending NATO’s European territory.
Rutte also pointed to European contributions to US operations related to Iran, noting that thousands of US flights have operated from European bases and that European countries have increasingly contributed capabilities related to freedom of navigation and mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rutte rejects immediate NATO threat from Russia
Rutte’s comments came as NATO was also responding to renewed Russian nuclear rhetoric concerning the alliance and the wider European security environment.
At the same Euronews summit, Rutte called on Moscow to stop issuing nuclear threats and said NATO does not currently face an immediate threat to its territory. He said the alliance had prepared for potential threats and would defend every inch of NATO territory if necessary.
The NATO chief has repeatedly described Russia as the alliance’s long-term security challenge while emphasizing the need for European allies to strengthen their own military capabilities.
