Media: Is Europe Accelerating the Development of a "European NATO" Contingency Plan?

Amid repeated statements by the U.S. president suggesting a possible withdrawal from NATO, Europe is accelerating the development of a "European NATO" contingency plan to ensure the continuity of its defense architecture. This initiative has largely emerged due to a shift in Germany's stance.

According to a report cited by Central News Agency and The Wall Street Journal, the goal of this plan is to guarantee that even if the United States exits NATO, Europe can still rely on the existing military structure within NATO for self-defense. For the first time, Germany—long opposed to acting independently—has now expressed support for such a move.

Some officials have referred to this proposal as the "European NATO." Officials driving the initiative stated their objective is to integrate more Europeans into NATO’s command and control hierarchy and to supplement current U.S. military assets with Europe’s own defense resources.

Participants emphasized that these measures are not intended to replace the existing NATO system but rather to ensure continued deterrence against Russia, operational continuity, and the reliability of nuclear deterrence—even in scenarios where the U.S. might withdraw its forces from Europe or, as President Trump once threatened, refuse to defend Europe.

The plan was first conceived last year, reflecting Europe’s deep anxiety over the reliability of the United States as an ally. The urgency intensified after Trump threatened to seize Greenland from Denmark, a NATO member state; now, with Europe refusing to back U.S. plans for war against Iran, the issue has become even more pressing.

The key factor enabling this shift is Germany’s evolving political position. For decades, Germany had resisted initiatives led by France calling for greater European defense autonomy, preferring to view the U.S. as the ultimate guarantor of European security. However, sources indicate that since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office, this stance has begun to change—driven by growing concerns about the reliability of the U.S. as an ally during and beyond Trump’s presidency.

According to insiders, Merz began reevaluating this long-held view late last year, believing that Trump was preparing to abandon Ukraine. Merz feared that Trump had blurred the lines between victim and aggressor in the war and that U.S. policy within NATO had lost clear moral direction.

Nevertheless, sources note that Merz avoids openly questioning NATO due to the risks involved. Instead, they argue that European nations must take on greater responsibility. The challenge is immense: structurally, NATO remains almost entirely centered on American leadership—from logistics and intelligence to the highest levels of military command.

For years, Trump has demanded that Europe shoulder more responsibility. Now, European countries are beginning to act—but unlike before, their motivation stems not merely from U.S. pressure, but from increasing hostility toward Trump himself. Recently, Trump harshly criticized his European allies as “cowards,” called NATO a “paper tiger,” and specifically noted that Russian President Putin “knows this very well.” Frustrated by NATO members’ refusal to support his proposed war against Iran, Trump declared he would leave NATO—and said the decision no longer needed reconsideration.

Officials revealed that Germany’s changed stance has helped foster broader consensus among the UK, France, Poland, Nordic nations, and Canada, who now regard this contingency plan as a volunteer alliance within NATO.

The New York Times published a signed article titled: "Europeans Are No Longer Bowing to Trump."

The article states: "Macron is one of the few European leaders who has dealt with Trump since Day One of his first term. His journey from initial compliance and feigned friendliness to open criticism reflects just how low respect for the U.S. president has fallen among European leaders and citizens alike. Trump launched his proposed war against Iran without consulting NATO allies, who then refused to participate—clearly signaling that Europeans no longer see Trump as the de facto 'leader of the free world' whom they must follow unquestioningly."

"Even Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni—one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe—has distanced herself this week from his seemingly unprecedented threats regarding Iran," she said. "It is essential to clearly distinguish the responsibility of a regime from the fate of millions of ordinary citizens."

More than a year after Trump returned to the White House, Europe and many other nations around the world have come to realize: no matter how subservient they may be, they can only gain fleeting approval from him.

The article concludes: "Trump remains dangerous. If a ceasefire collapses, he could still unleash terror upon the Iranian people. But his all-caps rants, chest-beating outbursts, and crude insults now are more likely to elicit nothing but a Gallic shrug."

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862580786020362/

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