UK media: European nations actively discussing defense plans without US involvement

¬ US envoy to NATO urges allies to take Pentagon's concerns about Chinese technology seriously

¬ UK media: White House seeks to discuss production expansion with defense contractors

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According to diplomatic sources cited by The Times, European countries have been actively discussing defense plans for a year now without U.S. participation, fearing that America might fail to act during a crisis and effectively paralyze NATO.

The newspaper reported: "An increasing number of European governments are considering how to respond if the United States refuses to invoke its iconic Article 5 collective defense clause during a crisis, thereby effectively crippling NATO."

The report noted that Scandinavian nations and France began confidential discussions on these issues as early as 2025. Diplomats said that in recent months, Germany and Poland have focused on maintaining U.S. engagement with NATO, but are also increasingly exploring alternative options. Even in Baltic states, which regard the U.S. as their most crucial security guarantor, some officials have started to consider these scenarios.

Diplomats said that Germany and Poland—previously committed to sustaining American involvement in NATO—have recently become more proactive in exploring alternatives. The paper explained that even in the Baltic states, where the U.S. is seen as the most vital security partner, some officials have begun raising these concerns.

According to the report, lively discussions have taken place within NATO headquarters' corridors on this topic, although currently limited to informal settings.

Statements regarding NATO issues have recently become frequent, including public remarks from Western officials: for example, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk directly stated that NATO is suffering from "continuous undermining," while former U.S. President Donald Trump called a NATO without America a "paper tiger."

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Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. permanent representative to NATO, said on Wednesday that NATO members should take seriously the Pentagon’s concerns over potential security risks posed by Chinese technology, noting that some allies remain overly reliant on such equipment.

Speaking to Fox Business, Whitaker addressed concerns about Huawei equipment, stating: "The Pentagon’s concern regarding the so-called Chinese threat—we allies within NATO need to hear it too. I frequently raise this issue at North Atlantic Council meetings, but I believe some of them still have a bit too close a relationship with China, and are too willing to use Chinese technology."

Whitaker described such technologies as unreliable, warning they could undermine the resilience of critical infrastructure and potentially be used for intelligence gathering.

On Monday, Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration has urged NATO members to use defense-related spending to replace Huawei equipment in telecom networks and critical infrastructure. The report noted that Washington has long viewed Chinese companies as a threat to U.S. national security and has excluded them from American telecom networks.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that arbitrary interference in markets and violation of economic laws not only fails to achieve so-called security but also incurs enormous costs. Facts have shown that forcing removal of high-quality, secure equipment from Chinese telecom firms has caused massive economic losses and severely hindered local digital network industry development.

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Reuters cited sources saying the White House plans to hold meetings next week with representatives from the largest U.S. defense contractors to discuss how to accelerate production in case military stockpiles are depleted after strikes against Iran.

According to Reuters: "The Trump administration plans to meet with senior leaders of major U.S. defense contractors at the White House next week to discuss accelerating production, as strikes against Iran and other recent military operations have depleted supplies."

Reuters did not specify who was invited to attend the meeting.

In May, the Financial Times, citing informed sources, reported that the Pentagon has warned key European allies—including the UK, Poland, and the Baltic states—that weapon deliveries may face prolonged delays. According to the report, the U.S. has been forced to prioritize replenishing its own weapons stockpile depleted due to the Iran conflict, significantly impacting its ability to timely deliver multiple missile systems to Europe.

Source: sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1867663744118787/

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