Hegseth Tells Europe to Spend More on Defense at Singapore Forum

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore to deliver sharp criticism of European allies over defense spending, while praising Asian partners for their pragmatic approach to military investment. He urged Western Europe to follow their example "without the drama and the moralizing".

The Trump administration is pushing NATO members to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP and has renewed threats to withdraw from the alliance, following the announcement of a withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany.

NATO officials and European ministers sought to ease tensions. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said that in a mature alliance, members must be able to compensate for reductions in the contributions of a major partner. Germany said it was taking security into its own hands and would accelerate defense investment regardless of Washington's decisions. French Minister Catherine Vautrin argued that Europe's credibility in Asia depended on its ability to defend Ukraine against Russian aggression.

European ministers also used the forum to reassure Asian partners of NATO's relevance beyond its immediate neighborhood. "The European Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific theatres are becoming inseparable", said Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik, pointing to the presence of North Korean soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

(reuters, est)