The United States formally launched a “strategic” Europe Posture Review of its military presence on the continent on Monday (27 July), aiming to push European allies to take more responsibility for their own defence.
“The outcome of this review will be an acceleration of Nato’s transition to a stronger, more equitable, and sustainable alliance, … incentivising and enabling allies to lead Europe’s conventional defence,” US under secretary of war Elbridge Colby said on social media.
“This will put Nato on the track for lasting, sustained success, especially as we confront simultaneous challenges across theatres,” he also said.
Colby had previously called for a reboot of the alliance into what he coined “Nato 3.0.” — an idea that some argue would inevitably speed up the alliance’s Europeanisation.
But the six-month Pentagon review was first announced by defence secretary Pete Hegseth during a Nato defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels on 18 June.
