The Hill: The US needs its NATO allies now more than ever

The Hill: The US needs its NATO allies now more than ever Apr 22 2026 The US needs its NATO allies now more than ever U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) | The Hill April 22, 2026 The ongoing U.S. military operation in Iran has created numerous consequences for both the U.S. and our NATO partners in Europe. High gas prices, heightened security threats and stalled trade through the Strait of Hormuz have led to frustrations that extend far beyond our borders. As an alliance of 32 nations, NATO will have its internal differences. The frustrations brought about by the U.S. involvement in Iran have led to varied responses and increased criticism of those individual decisions. But renewed criticism of the alliance fails to recognize that it is defensive in nature and risks further alienating partners who are essential to an America First policy. In the last year, European partners have recognized the changing strategic environment and assumed more responsibility. Individual members at last year’s NATO summit pledged to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035. If these countries follow through on their pledges, combined European defense budgets will dwarf that of Russia. As our allies ramp up training, acquisitions and coordination, they will, with America’s continued strategic support, deter westward encroachment from Moscow. What is less recognized, however, is the fact that Europeans are already stymieing any such advance — they are now responsible for sustaining Ukraine in its fight against Russia. While the U.S. continues to provide resources for the effort and offers other critical assistance to Kyiv, it is Europe that has dramatically increased its financial and humanitarian aid. Additionally, the Europeans purchase U.S. weapons that are then provided to the Ukrainians and also support Ukraine’s indigenous defense industries. The battle for Ukraine is more than a localized European war; it has broader implications. If Vladimir Putin achieves his goal of subjecting Ukraine to Moscow’s control, his anti-American worldview will lead him to look elsewhere to sow chaos, whether in Europe or beyond. While the U.S. shifts focus elsewhere, our European allies are doing the heavy lifting against one of our principal adversaries. Alliances are never free of frustrations as each member country prioritizes its own interests and foreign policy. But we should be careful to not overlook the ways our allies are quietly assisting the U.S. in the conflict against Iran. Without European cooperation, it would be more difficult to project force against Iran and reduce the risks to our Armed Forces conducting operations. Over the course of the conflict, a number of NATO allies have provided key assistance, ranging from permissions to fly through airspace, using bases to stage missions, or offering ports for ships to undergo maintenance. As General Alexus Grynkewich has testified, most of our European allies “have been extremely supportive” in our effort to degrade the threat posed by Iran, whose ballistic missiles and support for terrorism also threaten the European continent. They do so in spite of the war’s secondary effects already affecting their countries and the constituent pressures felt in these democratic governments. These examples demonstrate a strong NATO alliance — one in which Europeans can and will increasingly shoulder more of the burden of their own security, which crucially frees the U.S. to concentrate our unparalleled power where it is needed most. In addition to operations against Iran, our military forces in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea have disrupted illegal narcotic trafficking bound for our shores and for Europe’s. And lurking over the horizon is our greatest threat, China, whose hegemonic goals include domination of the South China Sea and the incorporation of Taiwan — peaceful or not. Should America be forced to focus on thwarting Chinese President Xi Jinping’s objectives, Europe’s exertion to keep Putin contained will be instrumental in freeing the resources we can apply. Shared interests bind alliances together. The U.S. is stronger because of the willing and able partners in Europe with whom our global interests largely align. At a time when our nation’s own budgetary pressures and backlogged industrial base limit our ability to sustain force in multiple theaters simultaneously, we cannot afford to take them for granted. Indeed, we need them now more than ever and should treat them accordingly — as the valued allies they are.