Hegseth in Brussels: where is Nato heading?
The new US defence secretary Pete Hegseth did not mince words at the Nato meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. He ruled out both Ukraine's accession in the near future and the deployment of US troops to secure a ceasefire. He also called on Europe to assume more responsibility for its own security through various measures. Commentators see a clear break with the past.
Transatlantic spirit is dead
La Stampa sees Nato on the wane:
“There was a Nato once. And perhaps tomorrow there will be again. But it will be a different Nato, even if a financial magic wand were to suddenly make all the allies spend five percent of their GDP on defence, as Donald Trump's new Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is demanding. ... Europe is no longer a priority for the US, Hegseth said on Wednesday in front of around 50 Nato counterparts and partners. With these words, the spirit of the alliance - the 'all for one and one for all' that linked European and Atlantic security - has vanished.”
The rhetoric has already created a new reality
Tvnet sees an irreversible change:
“It's clear that the changes are closely linked to the Trump administration and its vision for US military strategy. But even if another president were to come to power in the next election cycle, a return to the previous strategy could be difficult. The planned changes create a huge gap between the US and Europe, which could lead to a transformation of Nato or even a fundamental weakening of the alliance. One thing is already clear: the change of course in US military policy is no longer mere rhetoric - it is now a reality.”
No longer a true ally
Paweł Zerka, an analyst for the European Council on Foreign Relations, comments in Népszava:
“The new US president is forcing European citizens to accept a more pragmatic approach to foreign policy - in particular in relations with the US. The most common view is that the US is not an 'ally' but rather a 'necessary partner'. ... This is a marked shift that points to a potentially irreparable rupture in the Western alliance. ... It forces European leaders to re-learn the art of pragmatism in foreign policy. It allows them to clarify to their voters the stakes associated with the different kinds of peace for Ukraine, and with Europe's excessive dependency on the US for security.”
A show of weakness
The glaring rift is undermining Nato's deterrent effect, De Telegraaf laments:
“The whole spectacle is damaging to Nato's image. The self-proclaimed 'strongest military alliance ever' prides itself on presenting a united front. This is part of the deterrent against Putin and China. ... The phone call between Trump and Putin about the start of peace negotiations has fuelled fears on the part of many European politicians that the two powerful heads of state could make a deal about ending the war over their heads.”