'NATO MUST STEP UP': Rubio Warns Europe; Raise Defense Spending Or Cut Welfare | Times Now World

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:07]We have growing no no cooperation in our Western Hemisphere.

[00:00:26]>> A sharp warning from Washington is fueling a new debate inside NATO ahead of a critical summit in Turkey.

[00:00:34]US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says NATO countries must step up and be able to conventionally defend their own sovereign national territory, signaling growing US pressure on European allies to take greater responsibility for their own security.

[00:00:54]Rubio also challenged how some members calculate defense spending, warning that military commitments must be backed by real capabilities, not accounting tricks.

[00:01:09]>> You can't say that pensions for former soldiers and sailors is part of your 5% or your 3.5. I mean, that that can't happen.

[00:01:18]But the bigger challenge that much of Europe faces, many countries in NATO faces, their economies are not growing, and in order to spend more money on defense, they're going to either have to raise taxes or cut social programs.

[00:01:33]>> Rubio's remarks land at a sensitive moment for the alliance.

[00:01:38]NATO members are preparing to discuss higher spending targets and the future distribution of defense responsibilities.

[00:01:46]At the center of the debate is a simple question, who should bear the cost of Europe's security?

[00:01:57]>> And part of the reality of NATO, whether we like to hear it or not, is that many of the countries in Europe were able to build these very robust social safety nets because they didn't have to spend it on defense because NATO and the United States were providing it for it.

[00:02:09]So, they're going to have to deal with that reality. The second point is and and this is not an anti-NATO statement.

[00:02:14]But but it is the reality. The United States has global obligations.

[00:02:22]>> The secretary's comments also reflect a broader shift in American strategic thinking.

[00:02:28]As Washington balances challenges across multiple regions, officials are increasingly urging European allies to take greater responsibility for their own defense and military readiness.

[00:02:43]>> We have growing mill-to-mill cooperation in our own Western Hemisphere, especially taking on these transnational terrorist organizations and the like.

[00:02:51]So, we and and we don't have like unlimited military resources, even though >> we have a very large budget. Uh they're not unlimited.

[00:02:58]>> And so, we have to be able to allocate our resources and our personnel in ways that make sense. And it has to come at the expense of something. And so, um I think that's the reality that we have shared with our NATO partners from the very beginning of this administration and have been consulting every step along the way. But these countries will have to step up. They at a minimum have to be able to conventionally defend their own sovereign national territory for the most part.

[00:03:22]>> The message is likely to resonate across European capitals already grappling with sluggish economic growth, budget pressures, and rising security concerns.

[00:03:33]Any push for significantly higher military spending could trigger difficult political debates over national priorities.

[00:03:47]With NATO leaders set to meet in Turkey, Rubio's remarks have added fresh urgency to a long-running burden-sharing dispute.

[00:03:57]What began as a debate over defense spending targets is increasingly becoming a broader discussion about Europe's military self-reliance and the future role of the United States within the alliance.