The United States has asked Europe to take over most of Nato’s conventional defence capabilities — including intelligence and missile systems — by 2027, Reuters reported, citing Pentagon officials who briefed diplomats in Washington this week. However, several European officials said the timeline was unrealistic.
The United States wants Europe to take over most of Nato’s conventional defence capabilities — from intelligence to missiles — by 2027, Reuters reported, citing Pentagon officials who briefed diplomats in Washington this week. Several European officials viewed the timeline as unrealistic.
The message, described by five people familiar with the discussion, including a US official, was conveyed during a meeting between Pentagon staff overseeing Nato policy and several European delegations.
US dissatisfaction with Europe’s defence progress
The shift in responsibility from the US to European Nato members would substantially alter how Washington works with its closest military partners. Pentagon officials indicated that Washington remained dissatisfied with Europe’s progress in strengthening its defence posture since Russia’s expanded invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, US officials warned that if Europe fails to meet the 2027 target, Washington may withdraw from some Nato defence coordination mechanisms. One US official added that some lawmakers on Capitol Hill were aware of the message and concerned about it.
No clarity on how progress would be measured
Conventional defence capabilities include non-nuclear assets such as troops and weapons, but US officials did not specify how they would assess Europe’s progress in taking on most of the burden.
It also remains unclear whether the 2027 deadline represents the Trump administration’s formal stance or simply the view of some Pentagon officials, given the divisions in Washington over the US military role in Europe.
European officials argued that the deadline was unrealistic under any assessment method, noting that Europe lacks the immediate capacity to replace several critical US capabilities.
Europe faces capability gaps and production delays
NATO allies continue to face production backlogs for military equipment. While the US has encouraged Europe to purchase more American systems, many highly sought-after weapons would take years to deliver if ordered today.
In addition, Washington provides specialised intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities that cannot be easily bought or replicated, and which have been crucial to Ukraine’s defence.
A Nato official said European allies had already begun taking greater responsibility for the continent’s security but did not comment on the 2027 target. “Allies have recognised the need to invest more in defence and shift the burden on conventional defence” from the US to Europe, the official said.
The Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Europe boosts spending but faces ambitious targets
European nations have broadly accepted President Donald Trump’s call for them to assume more responsibility for their security and have pledged large increases in defence spending.
The European Union aims to make the continent capable of defending itself by 2030 and says it must fill gaps in air defences, drones, cyber capabilities, munitions and other areas — a timeline analysts still view as highly ambitious.
Washington–Nato relationship remains uncertain
The Trump administration has repeatedly argued that European allies must contribute more to NATO, although the president’s position on the alliance has often appeared inconsistent.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump criticised European allies and said he would encourage President Vladimir Putin to attack NATO members that did not spend their share on defence. But at the NATO summit in June, he praised European leaders for adopting a US plan to raise the defence spending target to five percent of GDP.
In recent months, Trump has shifted between a tougher line on Russia and an openness to negotiating with Moscow over the Ukraine conflict — a process European officials say has often excluded them.
At a meeting of Nato foreign ministers this week, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said it was “obvious” that European allies should assume responsibility for the continent’s defence. “Successive US Administrations have been saying this in one form or another pretty much my whole life… but our Administration means what it says,” Landau wrote on X.
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