NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has pushed back against calls for Europe to break away militarily from the United States, arguing that Washington remains a dependable security partner despite growing doubts inside the EU.

“I am absolutely convinced that the United States stands fully behind NATO. There is no doubt about that,” Rutte told the German Press Agency (dpa) Friday, rejecting the need for the EU to pursue full defense independence from the U.S.

Rutte said Europe must take on greater responsibility for its own security, including higher defense spending, but he stressed that this should happen with the United States rather than outside the transatlantic framework. The U.S., he said, would remain militarily engaged in Europe and committed to the alliance.

Rutte’s remarks were a direct response to recent comments by Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party, who questioned whether Europe can continue to rely on Washington amid political uncertainty in the U.S. In an interview with Funke Media Group, Weber argued that Europe must be prepared to act more autonomously.

“We cannot seriously expect Trump to secure a peace solution on his own with American GIs,” Weber said, calling for European soldiers to operate under a European flag as part of future security arrangements in Ukraine.

The exchange comes amid a broader debate in Europe over strategic autonomy as the EU ramps up defense spending and prepares for a more volatile geopolitical environment. While many leaders agree that Europe must do more militarily, Rutte has warned against framing the effort as a decoupling from NATO.

He has noted that most of the defense alliance’s economic and military power still lies outside the EU, above all in the United States, making transatlantic cooperation indispensable.