US wants Europe to take over most Nato defence capabilities by 2027

The US wants Europe to take over the majority of NATO’s conventional defence capabilities, from intelligence to missiles, by 2027, Pentagon officials told diplomats in Washington this week, Reuters reports.

The message, recounted by five sources familiar with the discussion, including a US official, was conveyed at a meeting in Washington this week between Pentagon staff overseeing NATO policy and several European delegations.

Such a shift would dramatically change how the US, a founding member of the post-war alliance, works with its most important military partners. In the meeting, Pentagon officials indicated that Washington was not yet satisfied with the progress Europe has made to boost its defence capabilities since Russia’s expanded invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The US officials told their counterparts that if Europe does not meet the 2027 deadline, the US may stop participating in some NATO defence coordination mechanisms, according to the sources. Some officials on Capitol Hill are aware of and concerned about the Pentagon’s message to the Europeans, one US official said.

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