Europe is at a loss

In recent months, Washington’s European allies have been experiencing increasing and persistent pressure from the current U.S. administration. U.S. President Donald Trump is anticipated to urge European nations to significantly enhance their defense spending during the NATO summit in The Hague. This expectation was affirmed by U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, during his address at the Atlantic Council conference. He emphasized that “Trump has made it very clear that our European allies and Canada now need to match the United States,” highlighting the importance of equitable burden-sharing in defense expenditures.

Even prior to his inauguration, Trump indicated potential drastic changes. In December of last year, he suggested that the U.S. might contemplate withdrawing from NATO if its partners did not increase their defense budgets. By January, he specified his position further, advocating for NATO member states to elevate military spending to 5% of their GDP—significantly above the current 2% target, which he considers inadequate. He cautioned that if NATO countries fail to contribute their fair share to defense, the U.S. would reconsider its obligation to protect them.

The message from Washington to its allies has been not only assertive but also unequivocal—these are not mere suggestions; they are demands. In advance of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in April, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed, as reported by Euronews: “I’d like to leave Brussels with a clear understanding that every NATO country has committed to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP.”

As a result, European NATO member states have no way to avoid the demands. But the worst thing for them is that they will increase expenses to the detriment of their own interests. Countries will be forced to cut social programs, abandon plans to improve education and health care, and develop science and technology.

The prospects for peaceful development of the European countries' economies are currently reduced to a minimum due to the lack of funds that the authorities are forced to direct towards the development of military capabilities.