KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. WASHINGTON D.C. — NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has declared the end of Europe's unilateral dependence on the United States military.

In his speech at the Ronald Reagan Institute on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Washington DC, Rutte praised the U.S. leadership for compelling its European allies to transform from mere followers of the United States into robust military partners.

He believes that a hard power partnership has emerged, surpassing the shadows of the Cold War era.

Langkah Strategis Menuju Kebangkitan Industri Tekstil Indonesia

Rutte recalled the legacy of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whom he claims won the Cold War through real strength. 

Baca Juga: Indonesian State-Owned Fund Ready to Increase Investment after Stock Market Plunge

However, he critically noted the "end of history" period when Europe was lulled into allowing its defense budget to shrink to irrelevance in safeguarding their own territories.

"Unhealthy dependence made us view military power (hard power) as something shameful. Yet, history proves that Russia and Vladimir Putin still use physical force to impose their will," Rutte firmly stated, as quoted from the speech published by NATO.

5% GDP Budget Target

A crucial turning point occurred at the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, last summer. 

Rutte mentioned that under the push of U.S. President Donald Trump's leadership, member countries agreed to inject 5% of their GDP into the defense sector. 

This figure surpasses the historical target of 2%, which many countries have struggled to meet.

This investment is not just a figure on paper, but a concrete step for:

First, Refilling Magazines: Replenishing the depleted stock of ammunition and weaponry due to war.

Second, Triple Production: Following the U.S.'s recent agreement to triple the production of Patriot missiles.

Third, Drone Technology Development: Adopting drone interceptor technology learned from the Ukrainian battlefield to counter drone threats from Russia and Iran.

Watch: UK PM Keir Starmer Responds to Donald Trump's Jibe! Is NATO Divided?

Not One-Way

On that occasion, Rutte quoted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement that NATO has become a burden for the United States because it has spent a lot of money on overseas military base operations in cooperation with NATO.

In response to Donald Trump and his ministers' criticism that the NATO alliance burdens the U.S., he asserted that NATO is now a two-way street.

Rutte presented tangible evidence: when Russian MIG-31 jets violated Estonian airspace last fall, it was Italian, Finnish, and Swedish fighter jets that repelled them, not U.S. jets. 

Similarly, when a Russian drone entered Polish territory, it was a Dutch F-35 that executed the drone's destruction.

"Europe is now taking on a larger and fairer responsibility. We are shifting from unhealthy dependence to a true transatlantic partnership," Rutte concluded.