As U.S. Commitment Wanes, Europe Faces Questions About its Own Defense

EXPERT INTERVIEW – In the early weeks of the second Trump administration, questions were raised about Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, as the White House appeared increasingly opposed to aid for Ukraine and took a more sympathetic approach to Moscow. Those concerns remain, but they’ve been joined by a much broader question about European security: Can Europe defend itself, in the event of a full-throated American retreat from NATO?

General Philip Breedlove, who served for three years (2013-2016) as the Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, recently completed a multi-country tour of the continent, as it grapples with those questions about the U.S. commitment. Cipher Brief Managing Editor Tom Nagorski spoke with General Breedlove during his trip, while he was on a stop in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.