Europe urged to ‘step up’ on defence as Trump upends ties

Europe must step up efforts on defence and play a bigger role in NATO as US President Donald Trump has “shaken the transatlantic relationship to its foundation”, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Wednesday (January 28, 2026).

Mr. Trump rocked European allies this month by threatening to seize Greenland from NATO and EU member Denmark — before eventually backing off.

The crisis — the latest to buffet ties since his return to power a year ago — has reinforced calls for the continent to cut its decades-long reliance on NATO’s dominant military superpower for protection.

“Let me be clear: we want strong transatlantic ties. The US will remain Europe’s partner and ally. But Europe needs to adapt to the new realities. Europe is no longer Washington’s primary centre of gravity,” Ms. Kallas told a defence conference in Brussels.

“This shift has been ongoing for a while. It is structural, not temporary. It means that Europe must step up — no great power in history has outsourced its survival and survived.”

Ms. Kallas remained clear-eyed that NATO remains the bedrock of European security.

She said EU efforts should “remain complementary” to those of the alliance, but insisted Europe needed to play a bigger role.

“Especially now, as the US is setting its sights beyond Europe, NATO needs to become more European to maintain its strength,” she said.

“For this, Europe must act.”

European countries have already ramped up defence budgets since Russia invaded Ukraine, and agreed last year to massively hike NATO’s spending target under pressure from Mr. Trump.

The EU last year also launched a raft of initiatives that it says could see its members plough an additional €800 billion into defence.

Washington meanwhile has said it wants European allies to take over more responsibility for the conventional defence of the continent as U.S. focus switches to other threats like China.

‘Keep on dreaming’

Ms. Kallas’ comments come after NATO chief Mark Rutte told EU lawmakers to “keep on dreaming” if they thought Europe could defend itself without the United States.

Mr. Rutte insisted Europe would have to double its spending targets to afford the “billions and billions of euros” it would cost to replace the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

The head of the Western military alliance warned that if Europe tried to build its own forces to replace the United States in NATO then it would play into Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s hands.

“Putin will love it. So think again,” Mr. Rutte said.

Instead he urged the EU to use its traditional strengths to generate funding and cut regulation to help the defence industry grow.

EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius, speaking at the same event as Ms. Kallas, insisted Europe needed to “rapidly build our independence — independence in defence: without delays and without excuses”.

“To be clear, independence does not mean alone. Independence means together,” he added.

Camille Grand, the head of European defence lobby group ASD, told AFP manufacturers would be able to match almost all the capabilities the United States can produce in the coming years.

But he said the aim was not to eliminate US support entirely — but rather for European forces to be able to take the lead in defending the continent.

“Is the baseline scenario: the United States defends Europe, or does Europe defend Europe with the help of the United States?” he said.

“It is important that Europeans reach this second scenario as quickly as possible.”