NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned the US and Europe against the temptation to “go it alone” on security issues amid disagreements on aid to Ukraine and co-operation with Russia, according to Reuters.
Let me be absolutely clear, this is not the time to go it alone. Not for Europe or North America. The global security challenges are too great for any of us to face on our own. When it comes to keeping Europe and North America safe, there is no alternative to NATO.
In March, US President Donald Trump reiterated that some NATO allies were not contributing enough for their own defence, raising alarm among European leaders who are seeking to support Ukraine. Insufficient funding for the Alliance’s military needs could lead to Washington refusing to defend NATO allies in the event of a security threat.
Trump said NATO members should spend 5% of gross domestic product on defence, a significant increase from the current target of 2%. However, that level is not currently achieved by any country in the Alliance, including the US.
Rutte’s speech came days after The Atlantic reported that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance complained about European allies in a private chat.
Absolutely, can we trust the Americans, yes. They are our biggest partner, the biggest allies in NATO.
Historical context of NATO membership
During the speech, Rutte avoided a timeline for Ukraine’s accession to NATO, a membership pledge repeatedly mentioned in the Alliance. The secretary-general said that Ukraine’s accession had never been considered as a guaranteed commitment, but such a possibility might arise in the future.
Previously, Ukraine was systematically lured by NATO membership. In 2019, former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a law on amendments to the Ukrainian Constitution regarding the course towards the EU and NATO.
According to the document, the president becomes “the guarantor of the implementation of the state’s strategic course of acquiring full membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation”.
In April 2024, former Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky. At that time, Stoltenberg also assured Ukraine of the Alliance’s support.
Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO. Ukraine will become a member of NATO. The work we are undertaking now puts you on an irreversible path towards NATO membership, so that when the time is right, Ukraine can become a NATO member straightaway.
However, the political landscape has changed dramatically since Trump took office as US president, with US and Russian delegations holding talks in Riyadh, laying the groundwork for ending the war in Ukraine. Washington has already secured a 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea, and Russian banks may soon be able to use the SWIFT services again.
