Europe is planning a fallback plan to ensure it can defend itself using NATO's current military framework if the US steps back, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The report suggested that the idea, sometimes called "European NATO," has picked up momentum after Germany, long opposed to a more independent approach, signaled its backing under the leadership of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Officials involved want to place more Europeans in key command roles within the alliance and gradually replace US military capabilities with their own resources, according to the report.
These discussions, taking place informally around NATO meetings and private gatherings, "aren't intended to rival the current alliance," but to reinforce it, the report said.
European officials are reportedly planning to preserve deterrence against Russia, operational continuity and nuclear credibility even if Washington withdraws forces from Europe or refuses to come to its defense.
First conceived last year, the plans reflect growing European concern about the reliability of US support. They gained urgency after US President Donald Trump floated the idea of taking Greenland from Denmark and amid tensions over Europe's reluctance to support US military actions in Iran.
A key driver of this shift is Germany's changing stance, the report said. For years, Berlin resisted French proposals for greater European defense autonomy, relying instead on US security guarantees.
However, under Merz, Germany is reconsidering this position due to doubts about America's long-term reliability as an ally.
