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EU summit derailed by Pentagon leak
European Union leaders convened in Cyprus this week expecting to finalise the bloc's next budget, only to be sidelined by a leaked Pentagon email that threatened to suspend Spain from Nato over its refusal to back the US-Israel campaign against Iran.
Email exposes US threats
Reuters reported on Friday that an internal US Department of Defense message suggested punitive measures-including expulsion from Nato-for allies deemed insufficiently supportive. The email singled out Spain, which has denied Washington use of joint military bases and rejected calls to raise defence spending to 5 % of GDP.
Legal experts quickly noted that Nato treaties contain no mechanism for expelling a member. Any attempt to bar Spain from alliance roles would require unanimous approval from all 32 members, a near-impossible hurdle.
Europe rallies behind Spain
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten told reporters in Cyprus that Spain remained a "full Nato member" and that European nations were "doing a great deal to strengthen the alliance," directly contradicting the Pentagon's claims. A senior German official added: "Spain is a member of Nato. I see no reason why that should change."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, once seen as a key Trump ally, called the US-Spain tensions "not at all positive." Her government has also denied Washington use of the Sigonella airbase in Sicily for strikes against Iran and condemned Trump's recent criticism of Pope Francis as "unacceptable."
"She's the one who's unacceptable and no longer the same person."
Donald Trump, speaking to an Italian newspaper
UK and Falklands caught in crossfire
The leaked email also hinted at a review of US support for the UK's claim to the Falkland Islands, which Argentina contests. The move appears retaliatory after Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially refused Trump's request to use British bases for strikes on Iran. While the UK later relented, Starmer has resisted deeper involvement in the Strait of Hormuz blockade, drawing repeated public attacks from Trump.
Nato's future in doubt
Former Nato Assistant Secretary General Camille Grande accused the Trump administration of a "fundamental misunderstanding" of the alliance, comparing its approach to a landlord threatening to evict tenants. French President Emmanuel Macron went further, accusing Trump of "hollowing out" Nato by publicly undermining it.
Trump has repeatedly called Nato a "paper tiger" and suggested the US might withdraw, posting on social media that the alliance was a "one-way street." His rhetoric has alarmed Eastern European members, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk openly questioning whether the US would honour Article 5's collective defence clause in the event of a Russian attack.
Russia's next move
The Dutch military intelligence service (MIVD) warned this week that Russia could initiate a regional conflict against Nato within a year of concluding its war in Ukraine. The goal, MIVD said, would not be military victory but "political division" through limited territorial gains, backed by nuclear threats.
Estonia, a high-spending Nato member bordering Russia, was informed this week that the US would delay delivery of six High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) due to "war needs" in Iran. The Pentagon had previously called the purchase "one of the most significant capability upgrades in Estonian military history."
Europe explores alternatives
Fearing Nato's reliability, EU leaders discussed invoking Article 42.7 of the EU treaty, which mandates mutual defence. However, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen admitted the clause lacks clarity on implementation, calling it "not clear about what happens when, and who does what."
France and the UK are leading efforts to establish an international maritime patrol for the Strait of Hormuz post-conflict, aiming to ease tensions with Washington. The US is not involved in the discussions, though the UK reportedly disagrees with France's exclusionary stance.
Stoltenberg warns of long-term risks
Former Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg cautioned that the alliance's survival is not guaranteed in the next decade. He argued that Nato's strength lies in its collective economic and military power-50 % of global GDP and military spending-benefiting the US as much as Europe.
"The United States is 25 % of the global economy. But together with Nato allies, we are 50 % of the global economy and 50 % of the world's military might."
Jens Stoltenberg, former Nato Secretary General
Stoltenberg acknowledged that most European allies have provided logistical support for the US-Iran conflict but stressed that Nato is a defensive alliance, not a tool for offensive wars of choice. The core disagreement, he said, is over how to counter Iran-not whether Tehran poses a threat.
