OSLO – Discussions surrounding potential latest European security structures, including a Nordic or continent-wide nuclear deterrent and a dedicated EU army, took place at the Oslo Security Conference last week, as concerns grow over the reliability of NATO commitments. The debate comes amid repeated questioning of the alliance by former U.S. President Donald Trump, raising anxieties about the future of transatlantic security cooperation.
The conference, hosted by the Norwegian Atlantic Committee, addressed a shifting geopolitical landscape and the potential implications of waning U.S. Support for European defense.
Retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges cautioned against the creation of a European army, arguing it would be a wasteful endeavor. “A European army would be a colossal waste of time and effort. It would be redundant, it’s not needed, and it won’t craft people spend more money on defense,” Hodges told Nettavisen.
Hodges served as the commanding general of U.S. Army Europe from 2014 to 2018.
He believes increased defense spending is driven by a clear understanding of threats and political will, not by creating new structures. “The only recognition of the threat and political will is what gets people to increase defense budgets. Creating something entirely new will only divert resources,” he said.
Kaja Kallas in Norway: – Extremely dangerous
“Do you think NATO will exist in ten years, Hodges?”
“Yes, absolutely. There’s a reason the alliance has grown from 12 to 32 members. Even though it’s never been perfect, people see that we are stronger when we have this architecture of common interests, common values, and common capabilities. Even the U.S. Doesn’t have enough resources to do everything alone,” the former army chief stated.
Discussion of a new European nuclear umbrella gained momentum following Trump’s controversial suggestions regarding the potential annexation of Greenland.
Many critics have suggested that a U.S. Annexation of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark (a NATO country), would be tantamount to a declaration of NATO’s demise.
“Would Be a Colossal Failure”
Currently, only France and the United Kingdom among European NATO members possess independent nuclear weapons. France and the United Kingdom have signed a joint declaration on cooperation regarding nuclear deterrence against external threats to Europe.
“It is critical to have honest discussions about what the actual threats are and what we need to do to prevent these threats from becoming reality. That is a necessary discussion,” Hodges said.
“But it would be a colossal failure of American foreign policy if our allies now sense they must acquire their own nuclear weapons. What a terrible indictment of U.S. Foreign policy that would be,” Hodges said.
“When we talk about nuclear deterrence, it’s about ensuring that the Russians don’t use nuclear weapons,” he added.
Norwegian lieutenant colonel wants Nordic nuclear weapons
RETIRED MILITARY LEADER: Retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges previously served as the commander of U.S. Forces in Europe. Photo: MICHAL CIZEK
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski participated in a panel discussion on global security policy during the Oslo Security Conference.
They also discussed the need for a separate European nuclear umbrella. Sikorski clearly stated that Poland is not considering acquiring its own nuclear weapons.
“No, we are not. First, because we are bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),” Sikorski said during the panel discussion.
The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is an international treaty that prohibits nuclear powers from assisting other nations in acquiring nuclear weapons. The treaty also prohibits other nations, which do not have nuclear weapons, from acquiring them.
“Second, because nuclear weapons have proven to be useless in the war between Russia and Ukraine,” he said.
“And third: the Iranian example shows that even if having nuclear weapons, as in North Korea, is useful for preserving the regime and acts as a deterrent, the path from A to B – from not having to getting nuclear weapons – is extremely dangerous,” Sikorski said, clearly referring to the U.S. Bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities last summer.
EPSTEIN CASE: Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) together with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski at the Security Conference in Oslo last week. Photo: Thomas Paust (Nettavisen)
“Not a Real European Alternative”
Foreign Minister Eide dismissed the need for a separate European or Nordic nuclear umbrella, emphasizing that nuclear weapons are a tightly integrated part of NATO’s defense strategy, and that the more credible the U.S. Nuclear umbrella is, the less incentive there will be for individual countries to develop their own nuclear weapons. The discussion highlights growing concerns about the future of European security in light of shifting geopolitical dynamics.
“It is essential to have honest discussions about what the actual threats are and what we need to do to prevent these threats from becoming reality. That is a necessary discussion,” Eide said at the Security Conference.
“The truth is that there is no real European alternative to the American umbrella. We must also remember the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). At the end of the 1960s, people talked about there being 40–50 nuclear states in the future,” Eide said.
“That didn’t happen, thanks to the NPT and the U.S. Nuclear umbrella, because many of the potential candidates simply didn’t need their own weapons. That is a strong argument for it being best for world peace to preserve the U.S. Nuclear umbrella,” Eide said.
“The last thing we need is Nordic nuclear weapons”
SECURITY: EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) at the Norwegian Atlantic Committee’s security conference on transatlantic partners in a “new normal”. Photo: Javad Parsa
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also discussed nuclear weapons during a panel discussion at the Oslo Security Conference last Monday.
“I think there will be a discussion among Europeans, and there should be a discussion about nuclear deterrence,” Støre responded when asked if Nordic cooperation around nuclear deterrence could be relevant.
“But we clearly have a NATO strategy that is very clear: that nuclear weapons are the primary deterrence, but it is not Nordic. It is under the auspices of NATO and Europeans,” Støre emphasized.
Kallas pointed out that all the nuclear threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin have created a very dangerous development.
“It is a sign of the times that we have this thinking about whether many countries in the world need nuclear weapons. This development is very dangerous,” she said in the panel discussion with Støre.
“It started with Russia’s war, because many countries saw that threatening with nuclear weapons actually works. You get away with what you want. That is a way of thinking where all countries that want their neighbor’s territory think: ‘Okay, we should have nuclear weapons, because then we’ll get what we want’,” she said.
“And all the countries that are afraid of their neighbors think that this is the only thing that works and that they should have nuclear weapons. This is a very dangerous development,” Kallas said.
