The NATO Secretary General described how NATO Allies are responding to security challenges by increasing defence investment, innovation and production, stating, “It’s fair and appropriate that Europe and Canada take more responsibility for their own security, and the good news is they do,”. He added that “a more capable European defence is crucial,” while underlining that NATO and EU defence efforts must be complementary and that the capabilities of non-EU Allies remain indispensable.
Addressing EU lawmakers in Brussels, Mr Rutte said Europe cannot defend itself without the United States, warning, “If anyone thinks here … that the European Union or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the U.S., keep on dreaming. You can’t,” and adding that Europe and the United States “need each other,”. He also cautioned that without the US, Europe “would lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, which is the U.S. nuclear umbrella. So, hey, good luck!”, while concluding that practical cooperation is essential, saying, “My argument will be, let’s be practical, let’s be realistic when it comes to our security. We need to leverage our respective strength…that’s the only way to keep Europe safe,”.
