UK, France, Germany and Nordics among countries engaged in informal discussions over a managed transfer

Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.20-221224/https://www.ft.com/content/939b695c-7df8-412d-a430-df988c98f2ca

The discussions are an attempt to avoid the chaos of a unilateral US withdrawal from Nato, a fear sparked by President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to weaken or walk away from the transatlantic alliance that has protected Europe for almost eight decades.

The UK, France, Germany and the Nordics are among the countries engaged in the informal but structured discussions, according to four European officials involved. Their aim is to come up with a plan to shift the financial and military burden to European capitals and present it to the US ahead of Nato’s annual leaders’ summit in The Hague in June.

The proposal would include firm commitments on increasing European defence spending and building up military capabilities, in an effort to convince Trump to agree to a gradual handover that would allow the US to focus more on Asia.

  • cygnusEnglish
    16·
    3 days ago

    The US, which spends more on defence than all other Nato allies combined, is indispensable to European security.

    I’m so tired of media repeating this irrelevant point. In absolute numbers, yes, the US spend more — but a percentage of GDP or per capita spending are a much better representation of a country’s dedication to the alliance. Per capita the US are still first, but not by much; by GDP they are third. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/nato-spending-by-country

    • Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.orgEnglish
      2·
      12 hours ago

      Also the point isn’t to outshine anybody at military parades. The point is to make yourself a target that would be too much of a pain in the ass to actually attack. Si vis pacem para bellum. That’s not only measurable in defence spendings.