NATO Foreign Ministers meet in Sweden: Rutte confirms Europe’s long-term plan to replace US military assets

May 22, 2026

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NATO Foreign Ministers are meeting today in Helsingborg, Sweden, (a strategically important coastal city on the narrowest part of the Öresund strait). Ministers are being hosted by Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and will discuss current US troops withdrawals from Europe and the augmentation of European forces within NATO.

Secretary-General Mark Rutte told the press that NATO is working on a long-term plan not to be overly dependent on one partner and European members will be increasing their forces in Europe within the NATO contingent. He also said that this process goes along with 5% defence expenditure target by 2030 and applauded Sweden for already reaching this target. NATO’s Secretary-General also reiterated that Russia is Europe’s most severe long-term security threat.

Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister Espen Barth Eide also echoed the Secretary-General’s remarks and said that Russia is Europe’s defining threat and that Norway was preparing for war in order to deter war. He also stated that Europe must continue strengthening its defence industries and build the same military and fighting capabilities that the US has.

NATO Foreign Ministers will be discussing Russia’s latest build up of nuclear-armed assets along the coast of its Arctic region. The ongoing Russian build-up in the Antarctic is of high concern to both European and American partners.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that he may transfer 5,000 US troops from Germany to Poland after the election victory of President Karol Nawrocki who is his friend. Previously, the US President had announced he will be withdrawing up to 5,000 troops from Germany.

NATO Ministers will also be discussing ongoing and further support to Ukraine with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to attend the Ukrainian session.

Safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz will also be discussed with US State Secretary Marco Rubio expected to raise President Trump’s protests at European partners for not being more involved in the war against of Iran and the ongoing security of the Strait.

The meeting is also being held in preparation of NATO’s summit in Ankara, Turkey on the 7tth-8th July.

Yesterday, during the press conference between the NATO Secretary-General and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish Prime Minister dismissed concerns about Ukrainian drones landing in friendly territory by mistake and said that, instead of adopting the Russian narrative on the issue, Europe should help Ukraine direct its drones towards their actual targets. The text was also recorded in the official NATO transcript. The Swedish Prime Minister and the NATO Secretary-General visited the Swedish Coast Guard to discuss recent Swedish operations against Russia’s shadow and illegal fleet, and Prime Minister Kristersson stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on this fleet.

More information here. Press conference between NATO Secretary General and Swedish Prime Minister here.