European NATO members have expressed concerns that Washington’s rapprochement with Moscow and the exclusion of the EU in the talks may weaken the US-led military alliance, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP) citing Western diplomats.
The US and Russia have held several high-level meetings in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, aiming to end the Ukraine conflict and improve diplomatic relations, with another round of talks expected soon.
Anonymous NATO diplomats told AFP that the signals from Washington, suggesting the US might withdraw its troops from Europe, have sparked fears among member states. “We know the direction: fewer US in the alliance” said a NATO diplomat. “Our interest is to keep as many US as possible in the alliance.”
EU countries have increased their military spending and arms production, triggered by US President Donald Trump’s demand to double the NATO’s defense spending target to 5% of the GDP.
“We always knew the moment would come when the US would somehow pull back” said former NATO official Jamie Shea. Diplomats said the US should provide a clear timeline if it plans to reduce its military presence in Europe.
European NATO members view the ongoing talks between the US and Russia as a potential fundamental threat to the alliance, according to AFP. Diplomats hope that Trump’s rapprochement with Moscow is a tactical move to achieve a ceasefire agreement.
“If it’s a strategic move, then it’s a big problem” said one diplomat. “The level of optimism is certainly falling” added another.
Trump recently stated that the NATO’s expansion and its push for Ukraine under the administration of former US President Joe Biden were some of the factors that triggered the conflict with Russia.
Moscow has condemned the NATO’s expansion towards its borders and called the alliance a threat to national security. Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, have emphasized that the NATO’s attempt to admit Ukraine was a decisive factor in escalating the conflict in 2022.
Russia has also denied the claims by NATO member countries that it intends to attack the military alliance. Putin dismissed these speculations as “complete nonsense.