The free ride is over, but Whitaker stresses ongoing US engagement in NATO
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker joined defence and security decision-makers at the European Policy Centre’s Thought Leadership Forum on 10 October 2025, to discuss the future of the transatlantic relationship – and what Europe can expect in the years ahead.
The discussion came at a pivotal moment, amid Russia’s increasingly provocative behaviour towards NATO, including drone and fighter aircraft incursions into Polish and Estonian airspace. Asked about the appropriate US response, Ambassador Whitaker said, “It’s not just a US response – it’s also a NATO response.” He added, “We shouldn’t assume every Russian action is intentional. Many are reckless or incompetent.” Russia, he stressed, “remains dangerous because of this recklessness, not because it is powerful economically or militarily.”
Turning to defence investment, Whitaker urged allies to deliver on the 5% GDP pledge agreed at the Hague Summit, emphasising that spending should cover both military capabilities and Europe’s defence-industrial base. He warned that European production is not scaling fast enough to meet the alliance’s needs, with the United States currently supplying most of the munitions currently required for the war in Ukraine. He praised Poland and the Baltic states for making serious progress but noted that larger economies, including Italy and Spain, lag.
While reaffirming the United States’s commitment to NATO, the Ambassador made expectations clear: partnership must now be reciprocal. Whitaker said, “The free ride is over,” he said. “Certainly, the United States wants to be a great ally and a great partner, but we're expecting it to be a reciprocal relationship where our European allies and the Canadians are also stepping up and equalising the share of the burden of transatlantic defence and security.” Washington also demands steady, measurable increases in defence spending.
Whitaker urged NATO unity in addressing Russian incursions and hybrid threats, calling for restraint, readiness, and stronger air-defence capabilities. On Ukraine, he confirmed continued US support and participation in future security guarantees, while urging allies to end even limited purchases of Russian oil and gas to ensure Europe’s strength translates into lasting peace.
Click here to watch the recording of the event.
Rajnish Singh is a Media Outreach Executive at the EPC Communications team.
The support the European Policy Center receives for its ongoing operations, or specifically for its publications, does not constitute an endorsement of their contents, which reflect the views of the authors only. Supporters and partners cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
