The NATO secretary general has emphasized Europe’s continued reliance on U.S. leadership, raising the question of when Europe will be able to stand independently.

NATO Secretary General: Europeans Still Need U.S. Leadership for Now

On September 25, 2026, in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Bloomberg:

Europeans currently lack the capacity to manage the situation in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, European nations still require American leadership. In the future, once all planned defense investments are realized and Europe grows stronger over the coming years, I hope to see Europeans take independent action should intervention become necessary in the Middle East—not the United States, but Europe itself.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1877302614818884/

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