Chaotic Progress: European NATO’s Quest for Stronger Defense

In 2024, Max Bergmann wrote, “NATO Missed a Chance to Transform Itself,” where he argued NATO’s leadership needs to facilitate a strong European pillar of the alliance through structural reforms in European institutions. Two years later, we asked Max to revisit his arguments.Image: The White House via Wikimedia CommonsIn 2024, you argued NATO’s own leadership should facilitate a European pillar. Two years later, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told the European Parliament that anyone who thinks Europe can defend itself without the United States is dreaming, drawing public pushback from European leaders. Does that rift suggest NATO’s leadership is blocking progress on the very pillar you think it should be building? Secretary General Mark Rutte is holding Europe back. He is blocking NATO and Europe from seriously grappling with the unfortunate reality that Europe might have to defend itself without the United States. There are some informal discussions happening at NATO over coffee, beers, and dinner. But Rutte has stopped Europe and NATO from coming up with a clear transition plan to create a European pillar. The fear on his part, and NATO more broadly, is that if Europe comes up with a plan to take charge of its own defense, the United States will embrace it and leave. Rutte’s goal is to keep the “Americans in” and is working to thwart the Pentagon’s efforts to “burden shift.” He’s playing a double game with the Trump administration, but it looks like the Pentagon is buying it. This calls into question, though, the utility of NATO to European security. The only plausible way there is a war between NATO and Russia is if the United States is not there. That’s when there is real danger to Europe. Yet, NATO cannot plan or prepare for that contingency because the United States is still in. All NATO Members-Only ContentThis article is reserved for War on the Rocks members. Join our community to unlock exclusive insights and analysis.