Prime Minister Mark Rutte praised NATO on Thursday 3 October in a speech to the Netherlands Atlantic Association, in The Hague.
"We need NATO (...) There is no alternative. The Netherlands, Europe - we cannot guarantee our own security", he explained.
Recalling that the future President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had stated that the EU's collective security policy was unthinkable without NATO, he echoed the latter's words: "We will remain transatlantic and we must become more European".
"The Alliance is essential for the security of Europe (...) In the matter of EU-NATO cooperation, Europe can and must do more", warned the Dutch Prime Minister, citing improved military mobility or cooperation and pooling of forces in the military field. "Even without a European army, Europe can and must do more to guarantee its own security, in closer cooperation with the Alliance", he added.
Mr Rutte also reviewed defence spending. "Security comes at a price", he reinforced. "Anyone who is a member of a club has to pay a fee. We don't like it, but the days when Europe could hide under the umbrella of American security for a small amount of money are over", the Prime Minister warned.
The Americans are asking the Allies to respect the 2014 agreement on a defence budget of 2% of national income by 2024. In 2018, the Netherlands was at 1.35%.
Mr Rutte said he understood the American position, explaining that after Brexit, about one-fifth of NATO's total military expenditure will be covered by allies who are EU members. "It's unsustainable in the long term", he acknowledged. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)