President Donald Trump, right, meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a meeting on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
NATO allies continue to spend billions supporting Ukraine.
European nations and Canada are also raising defense budgets sharply.
Yet NATO’s ability to deter Russia is facing growing doubts.
Internal divisions have weakened trust inside the alliance.
Over the past year, NATO unity under U.S. leadership has visibly eroded.
Analysts say credibility matters as much as military strength.
Right now, both are under strain.
Trust Inside NATO Takes a Blow
The most damaging rupture involved U.S. President Donald Trump and Greenland.
Trump repeatedly suggested seizing the territory from Denmark.
Denmark is a NATO ally, making the threat deeply unsettling.
Though tensions have cooled, the damage remains.
Experts argue a red line was crossed.
Trust once lost is hard to rebuild in military alliances.
Sophia Besch of Carnegie Europe called it a lasting breach.
She warned it weakened NATO even without force or sanctions.
Russia Closely Watches the Divide
NATO deterrence against Russia depends on unity.
Moscow must believe the alliance would retaliate collectively.
That belief now appears uncertain.
Russian officials have openly noted the turmoil.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the situation as a major upheaval.
He said Russia was carefully observing developments in Europe.
Russian state media mocked NATO’s internal disputes.
Officials framed the crisis as proof of Western weakness.
Defense Spending Rises, But Doubts Remain
For decades, Europe faced U.S. criticism over low defense spending.
Under Trump, the pressure intensified.
In response, allies pledged major increases last July.
European allies and Canada agreed to spend 5% of GDP on defense.
Around 3.5% would go to core military needs by 2035.
Another 1.5% would fund security infrastructure projects.
The pledge aimed to neutralize U.S. criticism.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised the move.
He said NATO was stronger than ever.
Rutte credited Trump for pushing allies to act.
However, his praise has drawn unease within Europe.
He has avoided discussing the Greenland dispute publicly.
Article 5 Under Quiet Pressure
NATO’s foundation rests on Article 5.
It promises collective defense for all members.
An attack on one must trigger a response from all.
That promise relies on political trust.
Trump’s Greenland threats challenged that principle directly.
They raised fears about territorial security within NATO.
Two U.S. senators warned such threats weaken deterrence.
They said coercing allies signals unpredictability.
That unpredictability benefits adversaries like Russia.
Old Fears Resurface Among Allies
Even before Greenland, doubts existed.
Some European allies questioned Trump’s commitment.
Trump openly questioned whether allies would defend America.
Tensions grew after his remarks about NATO troops in Afghanistan.
He downplayed their role, sparking anger.
He later partially reversed his comments.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Trump.
He said stronger allies give Washington more flexibility.
He denied claims that NATO was being abandoned.
Russia Remains Undeterred
Despite NATO’s spending promises, Russia presses forward.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned of long-term threats.
She cited cyberattacks, sabotage, and military intimidation.
European nations report drone sightings and infrastructure damage.
Attribution remains difficult.
Russia denies involvement in such incidents.
Rutte warned Europe faces imminent danger.
He said Russia has brought war back to the continent.
U.S. Troop Presence Sparks Anxiety
U.S. troops remain central to NATO deterrence.
Any reduction raises alarm across Europe.
Uncertainty has fueled fresh concern.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will meet NATO leaders on Feb. 12.
Arctic security, including Greenland, will dominate talks.
A troop drawdown announcement remains possible.
Last year, NATO learned of U.S. troop withdrawals near Ukraine.
Romania expressed strong anger.
Trust suffered another setback.
A Shakier Deterrence Landscape
A recent EU security report sounded the alarm.
It warned doubts over U.S. commitment weaken deterrence.
Adversaries may feel emboldened to test NATO.
Europe is confronting a harsher reality.
Unity can no longer be assumed.
Without trust, NATO deterrence against Russia risks further erosion.
