NATO chief calls for stronger European role in alliance

BRUSSELS, Feb 12 (KUNA) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Thursday that the Alliance has overcome the Greenland crisis, stressing the importance of strengthening Europeآ’s role within NATO amid ongoing shifts in the balance of defense power between the US and Europe.
Speaking at a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels following a meeting of NATO defence ministers, Rutte said "What I see today is this mindset shift, where people understand that, yes, it is about spending more, but also it is about a duty of vision that we have to do this together with the United States." He added, "The good news is that the billions are coming in", predicting that in the long term the US nuclear umbrella would remain "the ultimate guarantor of our security here in Europe and Canada", alongside "a strong conventional presence of the US here in Europe".
For his part, US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby said allies were making progress towards a situation where "it is Europe that leads the conventional defence of NATO," rather than the traditional reliance on US military power.
Colby confirmed that Washington would continue to "press, respectfully but firmly and insistently, for a rebalancing of roles and burdens within the Alliance," adding "If Europe rises to this moment, the alliance will emerge stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the challenges ahead|.
On a related note, and regarding Ukraine, Germany announced its intention to deliver five additional Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile systems to Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the move "is about saving lives", adding "Itآ’s a matter of days and not a matter of weeks or months".
Meanwhile, British Defense Secretary John Healey announced that Britain and its allies had pledged military aid to Ukraine worth USD 35 billion during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which includes 50 countries and is co-chaired by Britain and Germany.
Healey said, "We can save lives, we can pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin and we can agree peace, but only if we step up together". (end) arn.mt