NATO Chief: Europe Not Seeking to Replace US Nuclear Umbrella

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte reassured on Saturday that no European country is aiming to replace the United States’ nuclear protection, amid recent talks by Germany with France on nuclear deterrence.

“I think every discussion in Europe making sure that collectively the nuclear deterrence is even stronger, fine, but nobody is arguing in Europe to do this as a sort of replacement of the nuclear umbrella of the United States,” Rutte told journalists at the Munich Security Conference. He added that the US remains “the ultimate guarantor,” with other European discussions serving only as supplements.

The comments follow German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s disclosure on Friday that he had “held confidential talks with the French president about European nuclear deterrence.” Similarly, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose country is Europe’s other nuclear power alongside France, said the UK is “enhancing our nuclear cooperation with France.”

The debate on strengthening Europe’s nuclear capabilities comes amid growing concerns over Russia’s threat and questions about the reliability of US security commitments under former President Donald Trump. Officials from the Trump administration have urged European allies to take greater responsibility for their conventional defense, while reaffirming that the US will continue providing its nuclear umbrella.