US Presses Europe to Take Over NATO Defense by 2027

The Pentagon has delivered a blunt message to European diplomats this week: the United States wants Europe to assume full responsibility for NATO’s conventional defense capabilities — from intelligence to missile systems — by 2027. Several European officials immediately questioned the feasibility of the deadline, calling it “unrealistic.”

The message was conveyed during a high-level meeting in Washington between Pentagon staff overseeing NATO policy and multiple European delegations. If implemented, the shift would dramatically redefine how the U.S., a founding member of NATO, cooperates with its most important military partners.

Pentagon Concerned Over ‘Insufficient Progress’ Since 2022

According to officials present at the meeting, the Pentagon expressed frustration that Europe has not made the expected progress in strengthening its defense capabilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

U.S. officials warned that if Europe fails to meet the 2027 deadline, Washington may withdraw from certain NATO defense-coordination mechanisms, effectively reducing its operational role within the alliance.

Capitol Hill lawmakers have also been briefed on the Pentagon’s position, with some reportedly alarmed by the implications for transatlantic security.

Europe Pushes Back: “Money Alone Won’t Fix This”

European officials say that the proposed deadline does not reflect the operational and industrial realities on the ground. Beyond political will and increased spending, Europe faces structural challenges:

• Insufficient production capacity in its defense-industrial base
• Long delivery timelines for advanced U.S.-made systems Washington wants Europeans to buy
• Gaps in high-end capabilities that cannot simply be purchased off the shelf

Even if Europe places immediate orders, several high-value U.S. weapons and defense systems would take years to deliver.

Intelligence: The Most Difficult Gap to Fill

The U.S. also contributes capabilities that cannot be replicated quickly — including strategic intelligence and advanced surveillance, which have been central to Ukraine’s battlefield successes.

A NATO official acknowledged that European allies have begun assuming a greater share of the continent’s security burden, but declined to comment on the 2027 deadline specifically.

“Allies recognize the need to invest more in defense and to shift more of the conventional burden from the United States to Europe,”
the official said.

The Trump Factor: Mixed Signals, Consistent Pressure

European governments have largely accepted former and current U.S. demands that they take greater responsibility for their own security. The European Union has set its own target of preparing the continent for independent defense capability by 2030, including improvements in air defense, drones, cyber operations, ammunition production, and other critical areas.

However, the broader U.S. posture remains clouded by political uncertainty:

• During the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump frequently criticized European allies
• He even suggested he would encourage Vladimir Putin to attack NATO countries that failed to spend enough on defense
• Yet at the NATO Summit in June, he praised European leaders for supporting a U.S. plan to raise annual defense spending targets to 5% of GDP

This week, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau reiterated Washington’s stance at the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting:

“It is clear that Europe must assume responsibility for its own defense.”