NATO Secretary General: Europe Has Started to Fill the Gaps Left by America

SadaNews - The Wall Street Journal reported that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Europeans have indeed begun to fill the gaps and compensate for what the United States is no longer able to commit to.

Rutte added that more work needs to be done in certain aspects regarding compensating for American capabilities, emphasizing that it is better for the alliance to have realistic expectations regarding what the United States can actually be expected to contribute.

The Wall Street Journal cited NATO officials saying that European countries have now allocated all their new fighter jets to NATO defense missions instead of retaining some for national missions.

Western officials stated that discussions are currently taking place about deploying more long-range ground missiles and fighter jets as an alternative to long-range strategic bombers.

Officials noted that compensating for American capabilities in aerial refueling will not be an easy task, as it will require the establishment of more airports equipped with facilities for fuel storage and supply.