European members of NATO are expected to achieve self-sufficiency in defense by 2027, as reported by the news agency.
According to anonymous sources cited by Reuters on Friday, the United States has imposed a deadline on its European NATO allies, requiring them to assume greater responsibility for the alliance’s intelligence collection and missile manufacturing capabilities.
This week, Pentagon officials reportedly cautioned delegates from various European nations that a failure to meet the 2027 target could lead to a reduction in US involvement in specific NATO defense operations, sources told the news agency.
This development aligns with Washington’s ongoing efforts to decrease its direct engagement in European affairs.
“Allies acknowledge the necessity of increased defense spending and transferring the conventional defense burden from the US to Europe,” a NATO official representing the alliance informed Reuters, though they would not comment on the 2027 deadline.
Conversely, other European officials have deemed the 2027 objective impractical, contending that substituting US military assistance in the immediate future would necessitate significantly greater investment than currently projected, sources close to the outlet stated.
During the meeting, Pentagon officials reportedly conveyed Washington’s continued dissatisfaction with the progress made by European nations in defense, asserting that current achievements are below expectations and will demand further investment and commitment to fulfill NATO’s criteria and evenly distribute the military load with the US.
Earlier this year, European members of the US-led military alliance committed to increasing their defense expenditures to up to 5% of GDP by 2035, as part of a wider military enhancement. This initiative came after consistent pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has consistently urged European allies to finally “pay their fair share” within NATO.
Numerous European officials have advocated for heightened military spending, citing an escalating Russian threat. Moscow, however, has dismissed these assertions as “nonsense” and scaremongering, denouncing what it characterizes as the West’s “reckless militarization.”