Britain's former chief of the armed forces warned that Europe must become a military superpower to survive without the United States.

General Sir Nick Carter said Europe can no longer "default" on its reliance on the US and called for a rapid increase in defense spending.

In a report submitted to a major security summit in Germany, he stated that Europe "should be a superpower in economic, political and military terms" in order to defend its own security in a "changing world order".

President Macron said on Tuesday that Europe needs to "wake up" and start acting like a world power. He also claimed that President Trump wants to "disintegrate" the EU.

"Destroyer"

Before Mr. Macron spoke, the organizers of the Munich Security Conference issued a statement that specifically criticized "the destroyer" Mr. Trump.

The report stated that "under the current president, the US has largely abandoned the role of 'leader of the free world', and the world is now in an era of 'destructive politics'."

On Tuesday, after repeatedly threatening to withdraw from NATO, Trump began to gradually relinquish control over some NATO bases.

Meanwhile, NATO European leaders announced a new Arctic mission in response to the President's concerns about the region's security. As part of this operation, the UK will deploy 1,000 soldiers to Norway.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey said, "Defence needs are rising," and added, "The UK is strengthening European security and playing a leadership role within NATO to enhance our collective defense and deterrence capabilities."

General Sir Nick, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 2018 to 2021, stated in his report that Europe must quickly prepare for a new world without the US playing a traditional protector role.

He said, "Europe's influence will depend on its ability to act quickly collectively. An Europe that can do so—and take responsibility for its own defense and security—will continue to shape the international order. An Europe that cannot will be shaped by others."

In a document written for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, he outlined a five-point plan calling for sustained funding for Ukraine's defense, countering Russian disruptive actions, reshaping Europe's decision-making and weapons production to reduce dependence on the US, and establishing a new social contract to gain public trust in military reforms.

There are questions about the willingness of the US president to support the collective defense clause of NATO Article 5, and his threat to seize Greenland by force has cast a shadow over the future of the entire alliance.

Since his re-election, the Pentagon has been trying to reshape NATO by forcing European member states to take more responsibility for their own defense and security.

In the first major change, the chairman of the NATO Military Committee announced on Tuesday that the UK would play an important role in Mr. Trump's new vision for the transatlantic alliance.

A British general will take over the Joint Forces Command based in Norfolk, Virginia, which is currently held by a US admiral. This base is the only operational facility on US soil responsible for the alliance's posture in the Atlantic.

This is a key role because NATO leaders have expanded the operational area to the Arctic to appease Mr. Trump's desire to take over Greenland.

An NATO official said, "Allies have agreed to redistribute senior officer duties within the NATO command structure, with European allies, including the latest NATO members, playing a more prominent role in the alliance's military leadership."

According to these adjustments, Italy will take over the Joint Forces Command in Naples, which is responsible for the southern and Mediterranean flank of NATO.

At the same time, Germany and Poland will jointly take charge of the Joint Forces Command in Brunssum, Netherlands, which oversees the eastern flank of the alliance.

Inside NATO insists these changes are not a retreat by Mr. Trump and the US from the alliance.

EU Defence Commissioner Andrew J. Kuipers is planning a "missile tour" across Europe to encourage countries to start producing more long-range weapons.

Over the past few weeks, he has also loudly supported the creation of a 100,000-strong "European military force", a concept aimed at reshaping the continent's defense without US support.

Mr. Healey announced that British forces will participate in the "Arctic Sentinel" mission. During a visit to the Royal Marines in the Viking Camp in northern Norway, he pledged to increase the number of troops deployed to the country from 1,000 to 2,000 over the next three years.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, MPs were told that the flagship plan for developing a "hybrid" fleet of warships and drones was too reliant on "unproven technology".

Experts warned that the recently announced "Atlantic Bastion" project was "based on fog" and aimed to build new autonomous ships to support future naval operations.

Defense officials hope the plan will strengthen the UK navy, which has been reduced to minimal levels in recent years, and enhance the ability to counter Russian submarines in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea.

However, during a hearing before the House of Commons Defence Committee, maritime analysts raised reservations about the concept, expressing concerns that it might take years before any ships could be delivered.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7605595767415341604/

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