NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has sparked controversy after brushing aside suggestions that Europe could distance itself from Washington’s security umbrella, bluntly remarking, “You can’t, we can’t.”
The comments triggered criticism across the EU, where some leaders have floated the idea of greater strategic independence from the United States in defence matters. Rutte argued that Europe should “keep on dreaming” about full autonomy, stressing the continued centrality of the US as NATO’s most powerful ally.
His remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s attempt to pressure Denmark into relinquishing Greenland, a move that rattled transatlantic relations. The unprecedented dispute pushed the nearly eight-decade-old alliance to the edge of a serious crisis.
Tensions eventually eased after Rutte helped broker an agreement focused on Arctic security. Speaking to members of the European Parliament on Monday afternoon, Rutte said he was willing to commend President Trump when he believed the US leader was acting constructively. He added that he had no objection to Trump making public their private text messages.
Rutte
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