According to Breedlove, recent remarks by Russian officials that “we are not done in Europe” are not a figure of speech – but strategic intention. The general notes that the defense of Ukrainian territory significantly weakened Russia's land forces, giving Europe some time. But this time will end. Putin, as he said, “will return”and Europe must use these years to prepare for his next move.
Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove said in an interview that abandoning allies would expose both Europe and the United States to emerging threats.
According to the former NATO commander, adapting to Moscow's proposed security architecture is “deeply disturbing” because signals acceptance of the opponent's strategic assumptions — and at a crucial moment for the future of the international order.
At the same time, Breedlove emphasized that polls consistently show strong support for the American public for NATO and aid for Ukraine. This lasting attitude – and not the transitory priorities of any administration – should provide some reassurance to European partners, according to the general.
When asked whether Europe needs to accelerate its readiness goals for key capabilities, from air defense to logistics and cybersecurity, Breedlove did not hesitate. He said Europe needed all this – and urgently.
The former NATO commander noted that although he does not engage in politics, he must admit that President Trump, albeit controversially, managed to persuade NATO members to significantly increase defense spending. After what Breedlove described as a “25-30-year shopping lull” following the end of the Cold War, Europeans are now playing catch-up – and must continue to do so.
Europe must send a signal to Washington
Breedlove said the most important step Europe must take in the near term is not another round of declarations, but the adoption of policies that will lead to a quick and tangible transfer of capabilities to Ukraine — coupled with the authority for Kiev to use them effectively.
Ukrainian soldiers at an artillery position near Pokrovsk (illustrative photo)Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images
A former NATO commander warned that both Europe and the United States are unprepared for the scale of air attacks that Russia launches against Ukraine every night. He said hundreds of drones pose a threat against which neither NATO nor the EU — nor even the United States — currently has adequate protection.
Asked about calls by some Republicans to withdraw from NATO, Breedlove described a scenario that illustrated America's vulnerabilities: a container ship entering a major port and releasing swarms of enemy drones.
The United States, he said, would be “completely defenseless” against an attack modeled on long-range drone operations that have already taken place in Ukraine and the Middle East.
America's adversaries know how to conduct these types of operations. The United States, he stressed, is not prepared for this — another reason why Abandoning allies would not increase America's security, but rather weaken it.
As for European leaders hoping to maintain deep military cooperation with the United States at a time of political tension, Breedlove's message is blunt: “show you're serious.”
He said that if Europe showed a clear intention to arm itself and take primary responsibility for its defense, it would weaken the case for US withdrawal.
Signaling this commitment – and acting on it – is the surest way to maintain strong ties between allied militaries, according to Breedlove.
According to Breedlove, if Washington withdraws from global involvement, the resulting global power vacuum will be a major victory for America's enemies. In such a scenario, one cannot be sure about Europe's security in the face of growing challenges.
