The United States has asked European members of Nato to assume most conventional defence responsibilities by 2027, covering areas such as intelligence, surveillance support, missile systems and other non-nuclear capabilities. The request was conveyed during a meeting in Washington between Pentagon officials responsible for Nato policy and several European delegations, Reuters reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the discussion. Many European officials who attended the briefing considered the proposed timeline unrealistic.
According to five individuals aware of the exchanges, including a US official, the message reflected growing unease in Washington over what it sees as slow progress by Europe in strengthening its defence posture since Russia expanded its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Pentagon officials told delegates that if European members fail to achieve the 2027 target, the US could scale back its involvement in some Nato defence coordination structures. One US official also noted that several lawmakers on Capitol Hill had been informed of the warning and shared concerns about the current trajectory.
Despite the seriousness of the message, US officials did not explain how they intended to measure whether Europe had taken on most of the burden. Conventional defence capabilities cover large troop deployments, air defence networks, ammunition production, and advanced surveillance systems. European officials said that under any benchmark, Europe does not currently possess the capacity to replace or replicate several critical US contributions.
There is also uncertainty over whether the 2027 date reflects a formal position of the Trump administration or the views of some Pentagon policymakers. Divisions in Washington over the US role in Europe have continued, especially as debates intensify over military spending and foreign policy priorities.
European countries said the challenge is compounded by significant gaps in industrial output. Many Nato members are dealing with production backlogs for ammunition, air defence systems and other equipment. Even if Europe places new orders today, some of the most in-demand weapons would take years to arrive, according to defence officials. In addition, the US provides highly specialised intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities that are not easily replaced and have been central to Ukraine’s battlefield operations.
A Nato official acknowledged that European allies have already started taking on greater responsibility for the continent’s security. The official added that member states recognise the need to invest more in defence and shift a larger share of the conventional security load from the US to Europe, but did not comment on the proposed 2027 deadline.