In a recent episode of The Economist's "Inside Defence" podcast, experts debated whether NATO could survive without the United States. Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of the Royal United Services Institute, joined defence editor Shashank Joshi to examine the alliance's resilience.
"It's not just politics driving this burden shifting. The United States itself is overstretched," Ellehuus noted, highlighting that even Washington acknowledges its limited bandwidth. The discussion explored how European members might need to assume greater responsibility for collective defence as America's global commitments strain its resources.
The episode underscores growing concerns about NATO's dependency on U.S. military and financial support, particularly as geopolitical pressures mount. With the U.S. facing challenges at home and abroad, the alliance may be forced to adapt to a new era of shared leadership.