US Official Demands Europe Accelerate 'NATO 3.0' Transition, Signals Pressure on Allies

A senior US defense official has issued a direct demand for European allies to accelerate a strategic shift, framing it as a move toward 'NATO 3.0'. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby delivered the call during a mid-April Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting. His speech urged Europe to rapidly assume 'primary responsibility for the conventional defense of the continent,' a core tenet of the proposed NATO overhaul.

The concept of 'NATO 3.0,' as previously outlined by Colby, represents a potential fundamental reorientation of the alliance. The idea calls for NATO to refocus on territorial defense in Europe, moving away from what proponents see as over-extension in regions like the Indo-Pacific and West Asia. This vision is described as aligning with the foreign policy direction of a potential second Trump administration, placing immediate pressure on European capitals to demonstrate commitment and capability.

The demand includes specific reference to continuing military support for Ukraine through mechanisms like the 'Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List' (PURL) program, but within the new framework of European leadership. The speech acts as a clear signal that the US expects tangible, accelerated steps from its allies. This creates significant strategic and budgetary pressure on European governments, compelling them to evaluate their defense industrial capacity and long-term security posture amid ongoing conflict and political uncertainty in Washington.