Clemens Bilan / EPA
Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, and Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany
Europeans, and especially Germans, gain weight in the alliance’s military leadership. The US guarantees that there is no question of withdrawal.
The partners Europeans and NATO must assume more responsibilities in the coming years, in an internal reorganization that could reinforce Germany’s role in the military command structure.
Despite European reinforcement, the United States guarantees that there is no question of withdrawal from the Alliancebut rather a rebalancing of responsibilities and functions.
According to a new distribution of responsibilities, to which the German agency dpa had access, the Germany could occupy more top positions in NATO’s military command structure than the United States.
This is the question that leaves you: in this “turnaround” in NATO, Will Germany replace the US in leading the alliance?
One of the clearest signs of this change is the possible election of the Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, Carsten Breuer, for the presidency of NATO’s Military Committee — the organization’s most important military policy body — in the summer of 2027.
The decision will be taken in September this year, when Member States elect the new president of the Military Committee. It is not yet certain whether Breuer will face competition from other candidates.
USA maintains central role
Despite the strengthening of European leadership, Washington will continue to play key roles. The United States should maintain the position of Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe (SACEUR), traditionally held by a North American general.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker rejected any scenario of dismemberment of the Alliance. During the Munich Security Conference, he stated that the US does not intend to undermine existing structures, but rather to promote a “rebalancing” of defense expenses and burdens. The objective, he said, is to encourage European partners to “do more” and become stronger and more capable, arguing that this strength is essential to guarantee peace.
Whitaker had already defended, in November, at the Berlin Security Conference, a Germany’s most important role in NATO. According to statements cited by Euronews, the US intends to see European military forces on an equal footing with North American ones — an objective described as ambitious.
For security expert Carlo Masala, from the Bundeswehr University, these statements indicate a clear trend: the US should gradually reduce its direct involvement, hoping for greater European protagonism.
More investment and European production
Change is not limited to political and military leadership. Also in material plan, European allies seek to reinforce autonomy. The German draft budget for 2026 foresees defense expenditure of around 108.2 billion euros, including funds from the regular budget and the Bundeswehr Special Fund.
The majority of procurement contracts are expected to be awarded to European manufacturers, with only around 8% of purchases made in USA. The decision generated criticism from North American officials, who warn of the risk of excluding US companies from the European defense market.
Still, the Germany remains dependent on North American technology in strategic areas. One example is the F-35A fighter, ordered from the company Lockheed Martin. The aircraft, certified to carry the North American B61-12 nuclear bomb, is seen as a successor to the Tornado under NATO’s nuclear sharing program.
Due to technological and legal constraints, F-35 production is heavily concentrated in the US, limiting European alternatives in the short term.
The reorganization of NATO thus points to a Europe more responsible for its own defense, but still closely linked to the strategic and technological capacity of the United States.
