Rutte: US reductions in NATO force model take effect immediately

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Thursday, 18 June, in Brussels ahead of a defence ministers' meeting, that US plans to reduce its military presence in Europe will take effect without delay. At the same time, he emphasised that European allies must increase their efforts to strengthen deterrence capacity. The Brussels meeting prepares the ground for a NATO summit planned for early July in Ankara.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Thursday, 18 June, ahead of a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels, that planned US reductions in the alliance's force model will take effect immediately. At the same time, he emphasised the need for European allies to fill the emerging gaps in deterrence and defence.

US reductions in NATO force model

Rutte explained that the reductions specifically concern NATO's planning tool, the NATO Force Model, not the alliance's overall collective defence. "If war comes, we all make maximum efforts to ensure our ability to wage war," he said according to Deutsche Welle. The Secretary General has repeatedly stressed that in case of war, all allies, including the US, would deploy maximum military capabilities.

The NATO Force Model determines which member states must maintain readiness for certain numbers of forces and capabilities and how quickly they must be available. Rutte confirmed on Wednesday that the US will henceforth maintain smaller volumes of military capabilities in readiness under NATO command.

"NATO 3.0" and strengthening Europe

The Secretary General described the changes as part of a broader strategic vision. "This is all about NATO 3.0, a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO that we are building," Rutte told journalists. According to him, European allies have in some areas already managed to compensate for part of the capability or are close to doing so, but in other areas "additional work" is needed.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also called on all NATO allies to meet their agreed defence spending targets. In June 2025 at the Hague summit, NATO member states agreed to raise defence spending to at least 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035 and allocate an additional 1.5 per cent of GDP for defence-related expenditure. The previous target was 2 per cent.

Preparations for Ankara summit

The Brussels defence ministers' meeting is preparation for a NATO summit scheduled for early July in Ankara. On the agenda are US participation reductions in the NATO force model, continued support for Ukraine, and other issues.

Before the defence ministers' meeting, Rutte announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will participate in a meeting of the contact group on Ukrainian defence in the so-called Ramstein format. According to the Secretary General, Zelensky arrived in Belgium the previous day. "Last evening, I had the honour of hosting him," Rutte said.