The bloc's request comes amid ongoing debate among European powers about just how much the US should be relied upon to defend the Continent.
The European Union will create its own secure communications capabilities if NATO doesn't share its resources, German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has indicated.
According to the politician, these options include using NATO's headquarters, which are apparently “big enough.”
An unnamed NATO official told DefenseNews that the idea of sharing the alliance's secure online meeting software would need to be “assessed carefully,” since only 21 of NATO's 30 member states are part of the EU.
Kramp-Karrenbauer's remarks come amid ongoing debate within the EU regarding the extent of Europe's security dependence on NATO. US-European ties within NATO have been strained in recent years by President Donald Trump's insistence that other bloc members start “pulling their weight” and commit at least two percent of their GDP to defence.
European Army Debate
Last month, Kramp-Karrenbauer and French President Emmanuel Macron engaged in a heated debate about the creation of a “European Army.” The German politician encouraged Europe to accept the “sobering facts” about America's “crucial role as a security provider,” but Macron disagreed “profoundly” with this position.
“The United States will only respect us as allies if we are serious…
