US Sets Deadline For Europe To Lead NATO By 2027

John Vandiver reports in this Stars and Stripes article that the Pentagon has told European allies it expects them to assume the bulk of NATO’s conventional defense responsibilities for the continent by 2027, raising questions over the pace of European capability growth and whether Washington could scale back some NATO participation if the deadline is missed.

European defense spending has risen sharply since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but analysts warn the gap the U.S. currently fills is enormous; estimates suggest Europe would need roughly 50 new combat brigades, about 300,000 additional troops, major increases in armor and artillery, and far deeper munitions stockpiles, potentially costing more than $250 billion annually.

Compare with this SWJ opinion/perspective piece by Siamak Naficy earlier this year, “The Price of Security: U.S. Strategy, European Dependency, and the Future of NATO,” which frames the shift in NATO balance as the logical next step in a longer US push for Europe to close the capability gap and carry primary responsibility for the continent’s conventional defense.