France, Germany ‘jumping the gun’ on EU army: Dutch PM
France and Germany are jumping the gun with calls for a European army, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said 16 November, asserting that the continent’s safety could be guaranteed only through NATO.
‘The idea of a European army is going way too far for the Netherlands,’ Rutte said at his weekly post-cabinet press conference.
‘France and Germany are really jumping the gun. As far as the Netherlands is concerned, NATO remains the cornerstone of our defence policy,’ he told journalists.
French President Emmanuel Macron sparked controversy last week with his proposal for a ‘European army’ to ‘protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States’.
He said he wanted to reduce Europe’s dependence on the US and US weapons for its own security.
Macron’s call reflected a desire among several European countries to more autonomously handle their own collective defence, after US President Donald Trump’s criticised Europe for what he sees as inadequate contributions to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence alliance.
Trump called Macron’s idea ‘very insulting’, tweeting that Europe should ‘first pay its fair share of NATO, which the US subsidises greatly’.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has seconded Macron’s proposal.
During a European parliament session, she emphasised the need for Europe to bolster its self-defence capabilities, and said that a European army could run parallel to NATO.
‘Europe must take our fate into our own hands if we want to protect our community,’ she said.
But Rutte insisted NATO remained the primary guardian of Europe’s safety.
‘As far as I am concerned, it is an illusion to think that the European Union without NATO can guarantee her safety,’ Rutte said.
‘NATO, and the United States within the organisation, remains a crucial partner for peace and security in Europe and we will continue to point that out to our partners in our discussions,’ he said.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain]()
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.
-
![How deepening AI usage can boost efficiency and maximise effects for forces]()
How deepening AI usage can boost efficiency and maximise effects for forces
Saab has outlined how it is using artificial intelligence to make training more like electronic gaming, while the UK’s Power Size Technologies is applying the same technology to better evaluate and design vehicle capability, moving AI-enabled innovation further upstream from the frontline.
-
![From systems integrator to multi-domain solutions provider (video)]()
From systems integrator to multi-domain solutions provider (video)
Philipp von Brandenstein, Head of Corporate Communications at Rheinmetall, explains how Eurosatory 2026 marked a new stage in the company's evolution.
-
![US Pentagon pushes for major reform of defence acquisition system]()
US Pentagon pushes for major reform of defence acquisition system
The US Department of Defense has requested new contracting authorities from Congress, using the Army's MV-75 Cheyenne programme to demonstrate how competition, digital engineering and closer industry collaboration could accelerate acquisitions.
-
![US speeds up B61-13 nuclear bomb production as programme moves further ahead of schedule]()
US speeds up B61-13 nuclear bomb production as programme moves further ahead of schedule
The US government plans to accelerate production even further after achieving key B61-13 milestones months ahead of schedule, as the programme advances amid growing US-China strategic competition.
