NATO has entered a new phase. In 3.0. And it is the country that holds the most influence in the Alliance, the United States, that has decided and announced it. "We have a very solid foundation to work together in partnership, but placing NATO as a NATO 3.0 based on partnership and not on dependency, and as a true return to what NATO was originally conceived to be," explained Deputy Secretary of Defense, Elbridge Colby, who is also a key player in the new National Strategy that the Trump Administration is implementing in this area.
In his address prior to the meeting of Defense Ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization taking place in Brussels this Thursday, Colby emphasized this new phase, Trump's leadership, and, of course, the increased military spending by European countries. "With the historic leadership of President Trump and the Secretary-General, in 2025 we have seen a rethink and a real and genuine commitment, thanks to the president's leadership, to have Europe lead NATO's conventional defense, which in a sense, as I will say today, represents a return to NATO 1.0," he said.
This means a return to the origins, to Europe defending itself to a greater extent, with Russia being the main point of concern, and with minimal missions, if any, outside the limits of the Alliance. "Now is the time to move forward together, to be pragmatic. We have a very solid foundation to work together in partnership, for a NATO based on partnership and not on dependency. Truly, a return to what was originally intended for NATO," Colby emphasized. The intention and what the US wants is very clear.
The fact that it was the Deputy Secretary who traveled to Brussels instead of the Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is seen by some as further evidence of the US's lack of interest in NATO. Others, however, emphasize that Colby's presence at the meeting is very relevant due to his fundamental role in the Trump Administration. One of those who thinks so is the Secretary-General of the Alliance, Mark Rutte.
"Europe and Canada must really step up in terms of defense spending and defense industrial production. Absolutely. Recognizing that the United States is fully committed to NATO, it also has to deal with the situation in the Pacific and gradually pivot towards the Indo-Pacific, so it is crucial that Europe and Canada take on more responsibilities," Rutte pointed out.
"Of course, since President Trump was reelected, the entire US leadership team, under his direction, has been urging NATO and European and Canadian allies to do more. And the good news is that billions are coming. Yesterday I mentioned that Germany will spend 152 billion euros in 2029, which is 52 billion more, double what it spent in 2021. So it is really happening, and that is crucial," the Secretary-General added.
His dedication to Trump and the US, as is known, is absolute. And he demonstrated it again this Thursday. Because his main mission, as he himself says, is for the United States to remain in NATO because if it leaves, Europe would not be able to defend itself. He made it clear, for example, two weeks ago in the European Parliament.