{"id":4291,"date":"2026-07-12T10:05:54","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T10:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291"},"modified":"2026-07-12T10:05:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T10:05:54","slug":"europe-is-stepping-up-to-fortify-nato-3-0-and-we-must-do-the-same","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291","title":{"rendered":"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The consequences of the NATO summit that concluded Wednesday in Ankara will be determined primarily by two questions: Will Europeans step up to honor their defense-spending commitments and carry more of the security burden on the continent? And will President Trump step back further from the alliance?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more Graham Platner\u2019s scandal-scarred campaign was proof Dems will overlook anything in search for their \u2018Everyman\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

The answer to the first question is a resounding yes<\/em>. Unfortunately, the answer to the second question is maybe<\/em>.<\/p>\n

At the heart of these dynamics is the concept of \u201cNATO 3.0,\u201d which US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth popularized and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte adopted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Before we can wrap our heads around NATO 3.0, we need to understand its antecedents \u2014 or at least the administration\u2019s view of them.<\/p>\n

At the NATO Defense Ministerial in February, Colby characterized NATO 1.0 as a \u201chard-nosed, realistic, clear-eyed approach to deterrence and defense\u201d employed in the early decades of the alliance before the collapse of the Soviet Union. Americans expected European allies to \u201cpull their weight,\u201d and that is largely what they did. While there were issues within the alliance of course, Colby rightly views that period as \u201ctremendously successful.\u201d <\/p>\n

Indeed, the primary purpose of the alliance was \u2014 and is \u2014 to deter and defeat armed attacks against its members. By that standard, the alliance is one of the most successful in history and a leading American grand strategic asset. <\/p>\n

But with the end of the Cold War, the alliance shifted to what Colby calls \u201cNATO 2.0,\u201d a period he says was characterized by at least two elements: a focus outside the continent and European disarmament. During this period, Colby notes that America \u201cprovided the overwhelming share of high-end military power for Europe\u2019s defense.\u201d It is this period that Trump criticizes most as unfair.<\/p>\n

But that concern ignores relevant context.<\/p>\n

The reason for Europe\u2019s shift in focus was that the Soviet Union collapsed, partly due to the role Europeans played. After the Cold War, there was concern in many quarters that the alliance needed to \u201cgo out of area or go out of business.\u201d Thankfully, the alliance didn\u2019t go out of business. It turns out, of course, that the threat from Moscow was not over, as Georgians and Ukrainians know all too well.<\/p>\n

And where was some of Europe\u2019s supposedly misguided focus during NATO 2.0? Afghanistan. <\/p>\n

It is worth remembering that America \u2014 not Europe \u2014 was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Still, NATO invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, treating al Qaeda\u2019s attacks on Washington and New York as an attack on Europe and Canada.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then our NATO allies backed up their political commitment with tangible action, sending tens of thousands of troops to fight alongside Americans. Many of these allies stood with Americans there for 20 years and stayed until the final days when President Joe Biden decided to leave Afghanistan. And more than 1,000 European and Canadian service members made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan and never returned home to their families. <\/p>\n

One should keep such facts in mind when tempted to cast aspersions on Europeans and on the NATO 2.0 period.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more Conor McGregor speaks out after crushing UFC 329 injury in loss against Max Holloway: \u2018Destroyed\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

To be sure, Europeans fell far short on defense spending during that time. But, before we get too upset about that, it is worth considering America\u2019s wildly insufficient defense spending during the same period.<\/p>\n

We should avoid lecturing allies who paid far more than money after 9\/11.\u00a0And, at a minimum, we should not threaten to steal territory (Greenland) from allies such as Denmark, whose soldiers bled in Afghanistan alongside Americans. Such might-makes-right behavior is from Putin\u2019s playbook, and America should be better than that.<\/p>\n

So, what about the new NATO 3.0?<\/p>\n

Its focus, according to Colby, is allies stepping up and assuming \u201cprimary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe.\u201d That is certainly a reasonable and necessary expectation. America has vital interests elsewhere as well, and its resources are not infinite. Colby is right to press Europeans to focus on \u201coutputs and capabilities\u201d and \u201cready forces, usable munitions, resilient logistics, and integrated command structures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a key point: Our NATO allies have listened to Washington and acted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They increased their collective defense spending by nearly 20% in 2025. This year, five European allies are already projected to meet the 3.5% of gross domestic product on core defense spending target almost a decade early. <\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see whether the United States can sustain that level of defense spending.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to increased spending, European allies are increasingly fielding combat capabilities and formations crucial for NATO deterrence. Germany, for example, is fielding a forward-stationed armored brigade in Lithuania to bolster deterrence on the eastern flank.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The challenge is the delay between increased European defense spending and the delivery of those \u201coutputs and capabilities\u201d to deployed combat forces. Damaging statements from the president regarding America\u2019s commitment to collective defense, as well as US military withdrawals from Europe that are premature or excessive, could create an interim deterrence gap that invites aggression.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the Trump administration has already started to reduce the American combat power in Europe that is needed. That includes ending the US Army\u2019s rotational Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployment to Romania.<\/p>\n

The broad outlines of NATO 3.0 are sound. But its success will depend on whether reductions in US military posture in Europe are conditions- or timeline-based and how Putin perceives President Trump\u2019s commitment to collective security.<\/p>\n

Bradley Bowman serves as senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more The UFC legend of Conor McGregor is officially dead<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trump and Hegseth insist that NATO must evolve and that Europe must share more of the burden. Our European allies have agreed to step up. Trump’s continued threats of withdrawal only hurt the West’s security. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4290,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion"],"yoast_head":"\nEurope is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same - Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Trump and Hegseth insist that NATO must evolve and that Europe must share more of the burden. Our European allies have agreed to step up. Trump's continued threats of withdrawal only hurt the West's security.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-12T10:05:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7cd7bd9683106710eed62ba5da559b14\"},\"headline\":\"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-12T10:05:54+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291\"},\"wordCount\":971,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Opinion\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291\",\"name\":\"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same - Metro Transit Review\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-12T10:05:54+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7cd7bd9683106710eed62ba5da559b14\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":799},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?p=4291#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Metro Transit Review\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7cd7bd9683106710eed62ba5da559b14\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/metrotransitreview.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same - Metro Transit Review","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same - Metro Transit Review","og_description":"Trump and Hegseth insist that NATO must evolve and that Europe must share more of the burden. Our European allies have agreed to step up. Trump's continued threats of withdrawal only hurt the West's security.","og_url":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291","og_site_name":"Metro Transit Review","article_published_time":"2026-07-12T10:05:54+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7cd7bd9683106710eed62ba5da559b14"},"headline":"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same","datePublished":"2026-07-12T10:05:54+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291"},"wordCount":971,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp","articleSection":["Opinion"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291","url":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291","name":"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same - Metro Transit Review","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp","datePublished":"2026-07-12T10:05:54+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7cd7bd9683106710eed62ba5da559b14"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1a1e04145adef2983a9b1a71ff51cfc2.webp","width":1200,"height":799},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4291#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 \u2014\u00a0and we must do the same"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/","name":"Metro Transit Review","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7cd7bd9683106710eed62ba5da559b14","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/metrotransitreview.com"],"url":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4291\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}