‘Keep on dreaming’ if you think Europe could defend itself without US, Nato chief tells EU

Nato secretary Mark Rutte also said he doesn’t mind Trump publishing his private text messages before Davos

President Donald Trump, right, meets with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos last week. Photo: AP/Evan Vucci

Nato secretary Mark Rutte has told EU lawmakers that if they think the EU or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the US, they should “keep on dreaming”.

Appearing before the European parliament’s defence and foreign committees, he said Europe’s defence spending would then have to go massively up to 10%, with a further need to buy its own nuclear capability and spend “billions and billions of euros".